


Fascination of the Abomination

by Kaillingme (Setty94)



Category: EXO (Band), K-pop
Genre: Accidental Plot, Alternate Universe - Angels & Demons, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angelic Lore, Angels vs. Demons, Artistic Liberties, Character Death, Denial of Feelings, Feelings, Graphic Description, Heaven & Hell, Horror, It was supposed to be a smut fic but then plot happened, M/M, Porn With Plot, Religious Conflict, Religious Content, Smut, Violence, hunhan mentioned, taoris mentioned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-21
Updated: 2018-10-22
Packaged: 2018-11-04 09:15:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 13
Words: 100,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10987899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Setty94/pseuds/Kaillingme
Summary: There is a war going on between Heaven and Hell. A war as old as time itself.Kyungsoo, an angel has been forced to join the Demon Lord's forces, but under the pretense that he may one day return to the Eternal Paradise. Will he forsake his God to be with the newly crowned Demon Lord, or will he turn his back on Kai once and for all?Chanyeol always had a knack for bending the rules of Heaven. When he fell for Baekhyun, under the pretense that he was human, he had no clue what was in store. Could he give up Heaven for one of the strongest demons in Kai's realm? Or is he doomed to suffer a fate worse than falling?The war between the realms rages on and as a common enemy shows his face, sacrifices must be made. Who will come out on top? Heaven or Hell?





	1. Foreward

**Author's Note:**

> Cover by this amazing artist: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yeolakkuma !

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inspired Quote:

"And it has a fascination, too, which goes to work upon him. The fascination of the abomination--you know. Imagine the growing regrets, the longing to escape, the powerless disgust, the surrender, the hate."

                                                       -Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness

 

Other Covers I've received:

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was originally a smut drabble that I wrote on tumblr, but due to inspiration, I have outlined a full length story for it and decided to start writing it out back in 2012. I've been updating it very slowly since then but the chapters get longer each time and finding time to write is always hard.


	2. Foreward

It was not Kyungsoo's first day on the job. Although he was recently promoted to Virtue – meaning that he was one of Heaven’s messengers to Hell; of course, in the human realm he would be the bringer of miracles, but in Hell miracles never happened. So instead, he was to deliver the wishes of God to the Demon Lord himself.

He lightly bounced on his toes as he listened to his mission: he was to travel to Hell and deliver a message to the Demon Lord asking for him to relinquish his power of the human realm. He knew he could do it. He had done so, many times before. The only catch this time was that there was a new Demon Lord – and if the rumors were true, he was someone that Kyungsoo had once known.

He gripped the scroll of light closely to his chest and dove off the cloud, spreading his soft downy wings wide. He relished the feeling of flying, but he liked the sensation of falling even more. He pulled his wings in tight against him as his speed increased. He spiraled towards the earth and waved his hand in front of him and the earth shifted and opened for him to dive into. He pulled his arms in and gripped the scroll even tighter. It gave off a dim glow as he was swallowed by the darkness. He abruptly spread his wings and stopped the free fall inches before he hit the warm limestone cavern floor.

He righted himself and landed lightly on his feet. He could feel the heat through his thin golden sandals. He tucked his wings behind him and walked with purpose to the entrance to Hell. He waved the scroll at the three-headed beast that guarded the gates of Hell. The beast snorted and stepped aside for Kyungsoo to enter. A faint red glow filled the cavern as he travelled deeper towards the center of the earth. The smell of sulfur filled his nostrils as he neared the lazy rivers that coursed through Hell.

Kyungsoo wrinkled his nose as he caught sight of previous angels that had fallen. Their wings had long since lost their downy feathers and were replaced by dark leathery skin, much like a bat. They were not chained, like the rumors in Heaven said they would be. Instead they milled about casually, talking and even laughing. They quieted as he passed by them. He kept his gaze forward, towards the center of the town square.

He saw the throne before he noticed the young Demon Lord sitting atop it. It was a purplish gray wet-looking stone with spikes that connected to the stalactites that hung from the cavern’s impossibly high ceiling. At first glance, it seemed to go on forever being swallowed into the darkness. On the armrests, there were the Skulls of the Suffering, gaping maws frozen in a perpetual scream. Two skeletal and small winged demons fanned the occupant, their beady eyes darting in every direction.

Kyungsoo’s jaw dropped as he caught sight of the Demon Lord. He was the perfect specimen. His rich honey colored skin glistened lightly with a sheen of sweat. Deep purple leathery wings towered behind him, neatly folded against his back. The points were adorned with wine colored bony protrusions. The Demon Lord’s wings were such a stark contrast to Kyungsoo’s soft and feathered wings.

Kyungsoo froze in horror as he experienced an extreme bout of butterflies. There was something about the Demon Lord that was affecting him so greatly. He had been to Hell and back many times before, so the fact that he was already getting caught up in the onslaught of  _ feelings _ was not a good sign. His wings trembled slightly and he gripped the scroll even tighter. This should not be happening, not this fast nor this strong. Kyungsoo gulped as the ghost of a memory tickled the back of his mind.

“What brings you here, Angel?” said the Demon Lord with a lilt. His eyes became hooded as he tilted his head back, licking his lips slowly. He embodied the role of a Demon Lord so fully.

“I – I have a message for you.” Kyungsoo swallowed thickly. He cursed himself for sounding so nervous. He had made this trip a hundred times over the millenia. He should not be this flustered.

The Demon Lord perked up, “Is that so? You may approach me.” He raised an eyebrow and beckoned him closer.

Around him the inhabitants of Hell stilled, watching the show. Their multicolored eyes -- some with slits for pupils and other’s with swirling blackness -- glistened as Kyungsoo walked closer. He tried his best not to catch their glances, an Angel was a being of high status so the demons should not be staring at him so blatantly.

Kyungsoo held his chin up and his wings splayed. It made him appear bigger, more grand in the way that his nearly white wings glowed in the dim red light. A single drop of sweat cascaded down his temple, landing on his white tunic and he reached to wipe away the residue. He was beginning to feel quite warm. Out of all the times he visited Hell, this was the only time the heat ever bothered him. Of course, he never stayed longer than a few minutes, so maybe that, was it?

The Demon Lord stood up and stretched his lithe body in plain view. He was nearly naked except for a thin, sheer, band of cloth that was hanging loosely on his hips. It hid absolutely nothing from the imagination and judging by the way the Demon Lord was giving Kyungsoo bedroom eyes, he knew that the angel could see every detail. Kyungsoo felt his cheeks grow warm.

The Demon Lord spread his wings and Kyungsoo gaped at their horrifying beauty. Once opened they seemed even larger that Kyungsoo thought, much larger than his own. The bony protrusions returned to their sheaths, leaving the wings with a bat like appearance. The Demon Lord looked over his shoulder at Kyungsoo and beckoned him once more. He didn’t seem like the type to be kept waiting, so Kyungsoo fumbled with the scroll of light and readied himself for takeoff. After a hefty shake of his wings, he joined him in the air.

They ended up in a dimly lit enclosed room. It was several degrees cooler in there, but it did not stop the beads of sweat that began to surface on Kyungsoo’s skin. Something was definitely wrong here. Kyungsoo  wiped the perspiration away with the back of his hand and tried not to think about the heat. Half of the discomforts of Hell were all in his head anyway.

The Demon walked over to an unexpectedly plush looking structure and sprawled on top of it. It was layered in swaths of fur and judging by the way the Demon Lord sunk into the surface, Kyungsoo gathered that it was a bed of some sort. “So, Kyungsoo, what does this message of yours say?”

Kyungsoo nearly dropped the scroll. How did this Demon Lord know his name? This was their first meeting. Kyungsoo’s palms were sweating and he could barely keep his eyes from watching the hand that trailed towards that sinful piece of cloth. He cleared his throat. "It says that you need to relinquish your control over the human world.”

“And what if I don’t?” His hand teased the cloth, lifting it slightly and then lowering it again. He was… teasing Kyungsoo? “What will happen to me?”

Kyungsoo cleared his throat again and scanned the scroll. There was nothing in his briefing about what he should do in the event that the Demon Lord resisted the orders. Usually the previous Demon Lord would agree after giving some conditions of his own. He had not been prepared for this. First the heat was making him sweat and now the meeting wasn’t going as planned, something was definitely amiss. 

“I don’t know…”

It was humiliating how unprepared he was. He was a Virtue. He was supposed to be of high enough rank to be trusted to go between Heaven and Hell to make negotiations. Why had his superiors sent him here with so little information? Was this a ruse?

“Let me make a deal,” The Demon Lord began. His hand slipped beneath the cloth and he bit his lip as he shuddered.

Kyungsoo felt his face warming even more. If he wasn’t certain before, he definitely knew now that the Demon Lord’s sin of choice was lust. He could feel the desire in the air. It hung thick like a miasma that choked out all thoughts of chastity. 

“What kind of deal?” 

Kyungsoo forced himself to make eye contact but the motion of the Demon Lord’s hand was distracting. His gaze kept flicking down whether he wanted it to or not. It was just too difficult not to watch the movement, the gentle gliding up and down of the Demon Lord’s hand over himself.

The Demon Lord stared at him and deliberately stroked himself. This was a power play and Kyungsoo was quickly losing. He watched as those sinful fingers moved faster now, thumb brushing over the tip and causing the Demon Lord to hitch his breath.

“I relinquish control, only if I can have you,” he said at last.

Kyungsoo blanched. He had only been a Virtue for a few years – still relatively new in angel terms. He was set to ascend through the ranks to Seraphim one day. Surely Heaven would not give him up for the sake of humans. They couldn’t. Not with the war still waging on. Heaven needed all the angels it could keep. 

Even though Kyungsoo had not been an Archangel who were the warrior angels, for quite some time, he knew that if Heaven needed him, he would gladly trade in the light scrolls for a shield and sword again. 

“Heaven will not allow that.”

“I can see the fight within you,” The Demon Lord breathed, blatantly ignoring Kyungsoo’s statement. His eyes rolled back in his head and his hips bucked.“Oh, I can just imagine just how tight you must be.” He moaned and his other hand reached up to tweak his nipple. 

The Demon Lord was tempting Kyungsoo in the worst of ways. He knew he could look away from him if it became too much for his chastity, but words? Words held power and Kyungsoo could not get them out of his head, no matter how sinful they were.

Kyungsoo crossed his hands over his crotch which, to his horror, was growing harder as each second dragged on. He had never engaged in the act of sex – harmless displays of affection, yes – but he never went so far as to indulge. It was forbidden. Angels had fallen for much less, so Kyungsoo erred on the side of caution – well except for his one mistake. He bit his lip and shook his head.

“You would feel so good.” The Demon Lord groaned. “Tight, warm, and  _ pure _ .” His hand jerked even faster and he arched slightly as he writhed on the bed, losing himself in the pleasure of it all. Only his wings held him in place, tips stretching over the edges and spikes digging into the ground to keep him still. His chest heaved as his breath hitched again, that sinful flutter of his stomach that told Kyungsoo that he was enjoying himself.

Kyungsoo glanced at the entrance to the room and edged towards it. He needed to get out of here. This private moment that the Demon Lord was forcing him into was becoming too much. Not even his angelic body could deny his arousal, something that sent fear into his veins. 

Perhaps he could leave and tell the Cherubim – the angels that doled out lower ranked angels’ duties and also made regular trips to the Human realm to recruit – that this Demon Lord was a lost cause and they needed to stage a coup of some sorts to install a new one. It’d been done before so Kyungsoo knew it could happen again.

“If you leave, I will wipe out the entire human race.” The Demon Lord’s voice held all the venom in the world in it. He had stopped touching himself for the moment and his face darkened. “I don’t think  _ your _ God will be too happy about that.”

Kyungsoo gulped. He couldn’t allow that to happen to the human realm. He’d be stripped of his rank and possibly kicked out if he stood by complacent. He wrung the scroll of light in between his hands, trying to think of some way to both please the Demon Lord and to also get out of Hell. There was too much temptation around and Kyungsoo was worried that he may be weaker than he thought. 

“I must report your response to Heaven.”

The Demon Lord shrugged, nonchalant. “They’ll send you back, correct? Until I make a decision?”

Kyungsoo nodded, feeling in the pit of his stomach that he was about to embark on a much longer mission that he had been assigned. “Unfortunately.”

“How _divine_. Please, dear angel, tell them of my ultimatum.” His hand began stroking his hard cock once more. Beads of precome rolled off the top and over his fingers. It was difficult to look away once more.

Kyungsoo licked his lips nervously. His thoughts were consumed with images of him crawling over to the Demon Lord and tasting that sinful fluid. He turned away and braced against the wall. If he was to return until the Demon Lord made a final decision, Kyungsoo guessed he should learn the name of his new acquaintance. “How should I address you, Demon Lord?”

“Kai. I have taken that name upon my ascendance to the throne and you shall address me as such.” He grinned slyly with his eyes hooded. “But, don’t worry, you’ll be all too familiar with my name soon enough.”

Kyungsoo stared at him feeling his heart thrum in his chest. What did the Demon– Kai mean by that? He tried to go through every possibly meaning of the statement but each time he blinked he would see himself on the bed, legs sprawled apart while Kai hovered over him. He shook his head. Kai’s lust must have permeated his mind. He’d been in Hell for a touch too long and needed to clear his head.

He quickly left the way he came and hid behind the entrance while he waited for his hardened member to soften. It had engorged of its own accord and as Kyungsoo took steadying breaths it returned to its normal state. He knew this was a direct effect of Hell.

Kyungsoo spread his wings and took off for Heaven, pumping his wings furiously towards the gates of Hell. It was the only entrance that angels were permitted to use. As he passed by the guards, two sentries with bored expressions on their faces, he wrinkled his nose again. How could anyone ever willingly choose to reside down here?

The return to Heaven was quick. Traveling through the human realm usually prolonged it, so Kyungsoo took the shortcut between Heaven and Hell, passing through the planes until he saw the beams of white light that marked his home. Once he landed he shook his head of all thoughts of the Demon Lord and took a deep breath. He needed to report what had happened and then hope they gave him orders to initiate the coup.

The hall of the Thrones was relatively near the gates of Heaven, so he entered the hall quickly without dallying too much in the streets of Heaven. He didn’t want anyone to see him back yet. They would question the outcome of the mission and Kyungsoo wasn’t quite sure what had actually transpired.

“He refused,” Kyungsoo said as he approached the Thrones. He kept his gaze hidden from theirs as he did not want to tell them of the ultimatum. But, he knew they would ask anyway.

A choral like voice bellowed from the group of Thrones – the angels that enforced God’s justice and authority. They stood tall and magnificent in front of him. While usually the Thrones simply acted as enforcers of God’s will, they seemed to be acting as God’s middleman for the past few missions, but Kyungsoo never questioned it. 

“And what of the ultimatum?”

It was no use trying to hide information from the Thrones as they had the power to read every angel’s mind through force if needed. It was hardly ever done though. Kyungsoo bit his lip hard. “I don’t want to do it, Thrones.”

“Remember that the fate of humans comes before you do, Kyungsoo.” Their eyes of light were trained on Kyungsoo. It made the hairs on the back of his neck prickle. “You are but an angel, a pawn of God, to be used in any way he dictates. We are simply his messengers.”

Kyungsoo nodded. “I know.”

“As always there is still the chance of forgiveness, remember that.” They all turned, ivory robes swishing as they did so. Their wings – white with a light dusting of gray at the tips and small speckles at the base – were folded neatly behind them as they brushed across the ground.

Kyungsoo hung his head as the last bit of air left his lungs. “I know,” he said quietly, knowing they would still hear him. 

He dragged his feet towards the doors once more and looked over his shoulder. All his existence had been for the moment he would become an angel. He had no prior memories of being anything but an angel, he just was. 

Fingers curled into his palms as he thought of the humans. Their well being always came first. He knew he should not be angry, but now that he was being sacrificed to the Demon Lord, he could not help the bitter taste that filled his mouth.

Humans knew not of the terrible and great forces that fought all around them. The few enlightened ones did beg for forgiveness from God for their daily sins, but it never stopped them from committing the same ones over and over. They were dumb, fickle creatures and Kyungsoo was feeling upset that he was being used for their benefit.

He stared at the door in front of him and sighed as he pushed it open. No use in mourning his loss of purity. God had given his orders and it was Kyungsoo’s duties to carry them out. He did not know what God had in store for him, so he figured that despite his displeasure over the situation, he would see it to the end out of duty.

He walked out glumly, passing his fellow angels bowing their heads in sorrow. They had lost so many these past few centuries in the war between the realms and Kyungsoo was adding himself to those numbers. He sighed and dove off once more.

 

Kai was still on the bed, when Kyungsoo returned to Hell. Sweat drenched his hair and he came with a loud moan signifying his climax. Kyungsoo sidled into the room carrying another scroll of light. This one held his fate in the words scrawled inside. He stared at the ground and waited for Kai to address him as he would be his new charge. Kyungsoo now answered to the Demon Lord for the foreseeable future.

“I thought of you the whole time,” Kai said. He licked his lips and ran his unsoiled hand through his hair. It seemed that he knew exactly what lay within the scroll, because he beckoned Kyungsoo with a  curl of his finger.

Kyungsoo made a noncommittal whimper. He didn’t care if Kai thought of him or not. Acts of the flesh were sin and Kyungsoo wanted to remain pure of soul. He sighed deeply and approached Kai, sorrow and a hint of fear in his eyes. He tried to speak, but the words would not come forth, so he wet his lips.

“Do you fear me?” Kai asked, head cocked to the side. He sat there on the bed, not moving to touch Kyungsoo but obvious curiosity in his body language.

Kyungsoo shook his head. “No, it’s not you I am afraid of.”

Kai quirked an eyebrow, understanding coloring his face. “You fear for your status then?”

Kyungsoo nodded the tiniest of nods. He wasn’t sure why he was admitting all of this to Kai, but the more he revealed the easier his breaths came. Kai did not seem to be malevolent. He just seemed  _ intense _ .

“You’re following orders aren’t you?” Kai asked. He crossed his legs and held his hand out as a skinny skeletal demon appeared with a steaming towel to clean him up. Kai took the towel and waved off the demon, wiping his hand and stomach.

Another nod. Kyungsoo kept his head trained on the ground but his gaze watched as Kai flung the towel to the stone ground.

“Then you have nothing to fear do you? Orders are orders and you are but a pawn to  _ your _ God,” Kai said.

It was strange that the Demon Lord was comforting Kyungsoo, but he supposed he was right. Kyungsoo was in Hell because it was his duty. The scroll dictated that he do whatever needed to make sure the Demon Lord remained placated, and Kyungsoo was going to do just that.

“ _ Wonderful _ ,” Kai clapped his hands. “Then let’s lay some ground rules. While you are here, you are mine, is that clear?”

Kyungsoo looked up at Kai and sighed sadly. “I am yours.”

Whether he wanted to be or not, Kyungsoo was promised to the Demon Lord. He studied him, taking in the fact that Kai looked nothing more than a young boy in power. He had kind eyes that constantly slid from guarded to soft as he gaze back into Kyungsoo’s eyes. There was something there between them, that much was for certain.

Perhaps this wouldn’t be the worst thing for Kyungsoo. At the very least Kai seemed nice. At the very worst, he was the leader of Hell. In a moment of boyish charm, Kai grinned, momentarily stealing Kyungsoo’s breath. Hell was affecting him again, this time in the form of Kyungsoo’s racing heart and moist palms.

“I’m surprised they took my offer.” He said it more to himself than to Kyungsoo.

“Me too.” Kyungsoo stared at the ground near his feet. It pulsed beneath them with heat. He could feel the sweat roll down his back as it beaded on skin. It was going to take some time before he was acclimated to the heat and darkness of Hell.

Kai patted the bed. “Come here.”

Kyungsoo obliged and sat on the edge of the bed, retracting his wings tightly against his back until they morphed into him. (Both angels and demons – those that had wings – could retract their wings. Wings were mix of physical and spirit and both angels and demons controlled just how physical or spiritual they were. In full physical form, they were used to fly and in full spiritual form, they retracted inside and lay dormant next either the angelic or demonic spirit in the body.) 

Treacherous thoughts snaked their way into Kyungsoo’s mind as he sat on the soft plush of the bed. It was much more giving than he had anticipated. The material took his weight effortlessly, letting him sink until he felt like he was lying on a cloud. At the same time, Kyungsoo’s leg brushed Kai’s and the heat that coursed through his body made him scoot away. He mustn’t give in.

Kai chuckled. “It’s okay to touch me, I don’t mind, in fact, I encourage it.”

Kyungsoo snorted. “Of course you do.”

Between them, Kai offered his hand, palm up and to his own surprise, Kyungsoo hesitantly placed his inside it. Kai’s palms felt smooth and soft, much different than he imagined. He let Kai take his hand and place it on his chest, feeling the way the Demon Lord’s pulse thrummed just beneath his hot skin. It sent shivers down Kyungsoo’s spine.

“See? This is okay,” Kai said and removed his hand form Kyungsoo’s to place it on the mirrored spot on Kyungsoo’s body. “Are you okay with this?”

Kyungsoo nodded, his chest feeling like his heart might explode from it. The gentle touch of Kai’s palm to his chest was affecting him in more ways than one. He closed his eyes as Kai’s other hand joined and moved to his shoulders, pulling the tunic down, exposing him. His touch burned like flames. Molten lava followed every swipe of the backs of his fingers down Kyungsoo’s arms. It was intimate.

“Do you want this?” Kai asked, tilting Kyungsoo’s chin up and gazing into his eyes.

Kyungsoo couldn’t help but respond, “Yes.”

This was wrong, this was sin. But when Kai’s lips pressed into his own, Kyungsoo’s vision went white. He sighed into the kiss, his hands moving from Kai’s chest to the sides of his face and then into soft locks. He had no idea what he was doing, but Kai’s mouth felt so good against his. It felt so right. It felt so  _ familiar _ .

They parted just enough to touch foreheads and Kai ran his thumb along Kyungsoo’s cheek. He pursed his lips, holding back the thoughts that explained his tender expression. Kyungsoo waited for him to share, but when no words were said, he nodded again. He’d let Kai open up to him in his own time, right now he was becoming too overcome by the need to do more.

Kai gripped him by the of his head and crashed their lips together once more, earning a surprised whine from Kyungsoo’s throat. He didn’t know he could make such a sound. He felt his cheeks warm but it only lasted for a second before he felt the hot swipe of a tongue over his bottom lip. It stunned his mouth open and then tentatively dipped inside.

Kyungsoo crawled onto Kai’s lap, gripping his waist with his thighs letting the Demon Lord kiss him so deeply. It was intoxicating the way Kai tasted on his tongue. He lapped at his tongue, opening his mouth further and moaning. This was so different than the chaste kisses of Heaven. So different and so powerful.

Gradually, Kyungsoo was lowered onto his back into the layers of fur pelts. He clung to Kai, not wanting to part their lips for even a second, but the Demon Lord pulled away with a soft smile. He still did not say a word as he slipped the rest of the tunic from Kyungsoo’s body revealing his hard and pink dick. It leaked profusely, dribbling down the underside and over tightened balls. Kyungsoo squirmed under his hungry gaze. It felt too heated.

“I’m going to touch you now,” Kai said, placing his hand on Kyungsoo’s thighs, massaging them deeply. 

Kyungsoo nodded again, “Please. Please, touch me.”

Kai lowered to place a trail of kisses up Kyungsoo’s legs, pausing only once he reached his hip. Kyungsoo fought to contain the moan that threatened to escape his lips. Kai’s mouth was hot and soft as he worshiped Kyungsoo’s body, placing kisses every so often. It was so tender, so pure, and Kyungsoo found his mind fading quickly.

Kai raked his fingers down his thighs and kissed him near the base of Kyungsoo’s dick. He shuddered, teeth catching his lip and arched. Kai was so close to where he wanted him, where he needed him. Kyungsoo moaned softly and his hands gripped Kai’s hair and pulled. If he could just move him a bit-

Heat engulfed him and Kyungsoo’s breath hissed from his lungs. It felt so good, Kai felt so good. He thought he might combust from all the heat. Slowly Kai bobbed his head, eyes trained on Kyungsoo’s, wide and unreadable.

Kyungsoo’s toes curled and he thrashed his head to the side, biting down on the furred blankets. How was pleasure like this even possible? How had he never felt something so intense, so amazing, so utterly breathtaking before?

His hips snapped upwards, catching Kai a little off guard as he gurgled around his cock. Kyungsoo wanted to apologize but the moment he opened his lips to speak, Kai had released his cock from his mouth and was licking fat strips up and down. This was bliss, this was mind blowing and Kyungsoo could not hold on anymore. He bucked, breath shallow and sweat pooling on his chest. It felt like he was dying, like he was about to burst. It was all encompassing and then with a loud and drawn out gasp, it was over. Relief flushed through Kyungsoo, urging his lungs to yearn for air and he gulped it down thankfully.

Kai smiled at him, raggedly breathing and lips swollen. “Feels good huh?”

Kyungsoo could only nod and mutter incoherently. It felt better than good. It was like ceasing to exist for the splittest of seconds only to become real again. It was something he could not put words to, something he could not describe as anything other than  _ awesome _ .

“That’s only the beginning, angel,” Kai said and then leaned down to kiss him gingerly. “Let me show you just how much better it gets.”

“Okay,” Kyungsoo breathed, nodding his head furiously. He could not imagine what Kai meant by that.

Soon, Kai’s head had returned between Kyungsoo’s legs only this time he was lapping at Kyungsoo’s sensitive entrance. It was different than before, more of a dull but addicting feeling. Kyungsoo sucked in his breaths, hands balled in the fur blankets and legs trembling. When the first of Kai’s fingers slipped inside of him he clamped down hard on his lip. It stung and not in an entirely pleasant way. He held his breath and Kai stopped to pop his head up. 

“I’m sorry, I’ll be more gentle,” he said and kissed the inside of Kyungsoo’s thigh before continuing.

It only took a few more moments for Kyungsoo to grow used to the foreign feeling of something inside him down there and it was beginning to feel good. Only when he requested for more did Kai insert another finger and proceed with scissoring them slightly as he stretched Kyungsoo open.

After a while of just Kai’s fingers, the Demon Lord spoke again, “I’m going to put my cock inside you now, is that okay?”

“Yes,” Kyungsoo whispered. His heart sped up in his chest as Kai slickened his dick in preparation.

“So fucking tight,” Kai hissed under his breath.

The sensation of being split apart was overwhelming for Kyungsoo but at some point of Kai’s first thrust he brushed against something within him that sent tingles to every inch of him. He reached up and yanked Kai down to him, clamping his teeth down on sweat drenched skin and biting hard to keep from moaning too loud. 

The next thrust sent the same feeling through Kyungsoo and he huffed around his mouthful of Kai. It was magnificent. It was candor. It was like their bodies were singing with every movement and Kyungsoo found himself lacing his fingers behind Kai’s neck as he was lifted from the bed. He hadn’t realized his wings had expanded in the heat of the moment and were struggling to propel him upward.

Dark leathery wings soon manifested around them and beat powerfully, lifting them into the air. Their wings beat in tandem as their bodies continually met. Lips smashed into each other, the music of their moans and groans and incoherent words of angelic and demonic languages littered the space between them.

Kyungsoo was delirious, mind clouded with lust and desire as he melted into their movements. There was nothing that had ever felt like this before. Nothing at all. He whimpered as Kai thrusted inside of him faster. They were still hovering, wings having figured out the proper dance to keep them airborne.

They began to slowly fall towards the bed as Kyungsoo became closer to climaxing. He pulled his wings back in, fading smoothly into his skin. He felt boneless and light. As he met the furred blankets, Kai helped him to his hands and knees and situated himself behind him.

Kai collided into Kyungsoo, hands gripping his waist and making Kyungsoo grit his teeth to keep his voice down. He was hitting that spot again, and it was all Kyungsoo could do to keep his head up. He screwed his eyes shut, jaw falling open and hoarse words slipping out.

When Kai’s thrusts grew sporadic, Kyungsoo felt him drop down onto his back, kissing the backs of his shoulders and occasionally licking his neck. He could feel his whole weight on him, every movement of his muscles as his hips canted and undulated.

The sporadic thrusts grew more spastic and Kai’s moans turned helpless and pitiful as he chased his orgasm into Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo looked back at him and saw the way his head was lolling, eyes shut, perfect lips bruised and swollen. He looked devilishly handsome and completely lost in lust. The sight alone was enough to make Kyungsoo whine.

Finally, Kai came with a cry of Kyungsoo’s name and heavy breathing onto his neck. Kyungsoo let his boneless body relax into the bed as Kai curled around him, holding him close, whispering to him words that made no sense. 

He kissed the back of Kyungsoo’s head, nuzzling him and then almost as if he realized what he was doing, he pulled away, leaving Kyungsoo to turn around and study him. He stared into Kai’s eyes, and neither of them said a word.

Then it hit him. What had he done? Kyungsoo scurried away from Kai, eyes wide as saucers. “Oh my God,” he whispered.

“Do not regret what has happened, Kyungsoo,” Kai said and reached out for him. “If it were against God’s orders your wings would have shed by now, would they not?”

Kyungsoo unfurled them and gave them a hefty shake. When nothing fell to the ground, he sighed and bit down on his fist. He had succumb to the ways of the flesh. He was no longer pure. Heaven would cast him out should he return. All of this had happened in the span of his first few hours with the Demon Lord. Things were amiss.

He stared up into Kai’s eyes and found himself drowning in them. The stories hidden behind them piqued his curiosity but he remained silent as Kai gently swept his hair from his forehead. He was being so gentle with him that it made him wonder how such a being had ended up as a Demon Lord in the first place. Realization smacked into him like a freight train. He knew those eyes, although they were a golden yellow color with slits for pupils, they held a faint apparition of the past.

It all came rushing back to him, Kyungsoo sat up and gaped at Kai. “J-Jongin?”

Kai’s eyes narrowed and his hand dropped from Kyungsoo’s face. “Do  _ not _ call me that. Jongin died when I was thrown from Heaven. I am Kai, the Demon Lord.”

Kyungsoo gawked at him and then reached out to touch his face. Kai jerked back just out of his touch. It hurt, but Kyungsoo remembered how fond he was of the angeling when he first came to Heaven. He remembered training him and enlightening him on God’s ways. He remembered the stolen glances and feather light kisses they shared. No wonder this mission had felt so different.

In Heaven, angels were free to be with who they pleased since they had the ability to change their biology at will, or to have none at all. They both just so happened to choose the human male form and both were entirely okay with that. 

Since they were not human, they were not held to the same strict regulations as the humans on earth. However, they were certainly not allowed to develop feelings for one another. Feelings between angels beget problems that would cause the whole kingdom strife. So angels abided by this rule by forbidding any physical contact that could result in succumbing to the ways of the flesh. But that made the chaste, stolen kisses that much more exciting and at the time, Kyungsoo liked bending the rules a bit. Still, Kyungsoo remained in control of his feelings because he knew the consequences.

That was the mistake that Jongin made. He refused God’s orders because he did not want to leave Kyungsoo behind. He had been ordered to go to earth on a mission to eradicate the fallen angels who escaped from the bowels of Hell, where they were chained, and he stood in front of the Great Hall and refused to follow through. God cast him from Heaven in that instant.

Kyungsoo remembered being questioned by the Holy Council for ages after Jongin had been ejected from Heaven and having his mind probed by the Thrones, for any sort of emotions for Jongin. Kyungsoo remembered squashing all his feelings for him into the recess of his mind and locking it with a key. Luckily for him, the Throne’s probing never reached the imaginary box, because in that instant the previous Demon Lord had launched an attack on the human realm.

Kai was studying him with a hardened gaze. “Leave.” He pointed towards the door and gritted his teeth.

Kyungsoo was brought back from his reverie and stared at Kai’s steely expression. “What did I do?”

Kai ignored his question. “I will call for you when I have need of you. For now, leave my sight.”

Kyungsoo slowly stood, his body aching from their earlier tryst, and tugged on his white toga. He was about to leave, when Kai tossed a deep purple tunic at the back of his head. Kyungsoo bent over to pick it up and he looked at Kai expectantly.

“Get rid of the white, we are not the pure down here.” Kai snarled, his back to Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo frowned. He was completely confused. Kai had literally switched personalities on him. He was no longer the lustful, sultry sex fiend, instead he was now the cold and harsh Demon Lord. He sighed and removed the toga and stepped into the deep purple tunic. He exited Kai’s room and was met with an unbearable blast of heat. There was no way he would last two minutes in Hell. He was used to the frigid air of Heaven, not the sweltering heat he was experiencing now.

He wrinkled his nose as the sulfur filled his nostrils. This was another aspect he had no desire to get used to either. His feet were beginning to burn uncomfortably and since his sandals he wore here had disintegrated the moment they were removed from his feet, he no longer had any protection. He had no clue where he was going, in fact he had no idea where he would be sleeping, so he continued to walk down the corridor until he found himself in the middle of the main square.

Demons of all shapes and sizes scurried about, their eyes flitting over to him briefly before turning back to their objective at hand. Fallen angels clustered together in groups by a small spring of blackened water. They eyed him suspiciously and began whispering to one another.

Kyungsoo sighed and walked past them once more. He would deal with those that he recognized tomorrow. For now, he had to find a place to rest. His body was still sore and he knew he was glowing slightly, but the remains of that glow were stripped from him the moment he caught sight of Kai flying high above him, his leathery wings extended in graceful horror. He could hardly look at him longer than a few seconds because his wings brought a mixture of fear and fascination. He wondered if he stayed in Hell long enough, if his wings would lose their feathers and grow leathery and gothically beautiful like Kai’s. He shook the thought from his mind. He would not be in Hell long enough for that.

Kai landed in front of him and handed him a scroll made of obsidian smoke. “Give this to the Big Man upstairs. It has my end of the deal on it.”

Kyungsoo frowned slightly. “I don’t think I can return.”

Kai regarded him strangely. “You’re not Fallen, yet. You will be welcomed back. Now go and give him my message.” He crouched in preparation for flight and then paused, “When you return, come by my room, we’ll arrange your sleeping arrangements.”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows but did as he was told. After all, he was now the Demon Lord’s property. He unfurled his wings and jumped into flight. He would be returning to Heaven sooner than he thought.


	3. The Thespian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter introduces the other main characters: Baekhyun and Chanyeol.

Baekhyun watched with contempt as the angel ascended to the gates that lead to Heaven. His pearly white wings moving gracefully as he put more and more distance between him and the dwellers of Hell. Feeling eyes upon him, Baekhyun glanced to his right and met Kai’s gaze. Swallowing the intense disdain he felt for the angelic race, he kept his tone level. “I thought he was one of us.”

Kai regarded him dark curiosity. “Are you questioning my choices?”

Baekhyun pursed his lips. “I’m merely commenting on the fact that his wings remain unchanged.” He only respected the Demon Lord because he must, not because he wanted to. After all, they resided in Hell, and no one was safe no matter what their role was.

Narrowing his eyes, Kai scowled. “He is not _Fallen_ , if that is what you are asking.”

Baekhyun raised an eyebrow. This was an interesting tidbit of information. Heaven and Hell often communicated by means of messengers, and this messenger was a familiar face to Baekhyun. However, angels and demons _never_ consorted with each other. It was almost unheard of and although Baekhyun was created as a demon from the beginning, he had a vague understanding of how the rules in heaven worked. The angels were to remain pure and had to abstain from the same acts of flesh the demons were so fond of. “Then why is he wearing our garb?”

“Because I gave it to him.” Kai said, a note of challenge in his tone.

Baekhyun glanced back up at the gates just as they were closing and then crossed his arms. “You really should not be dealing with his kind, _my lord_.” He spat those last words out with venom. “You could be accused of having sympathy for the enemy.”

Before he knew what had happened, Baekhyun was slammed against the limestone walls, Kai’s hand around his throat. “I am the Demon Lord, I will do as I please. As far as I’m concerned he is on our side and will remain that way.” Kai leaned in close enough so that their noses brushed. “If you so much as breathe a word against him I will chain you to the depths of Hell with the Forsaken – a special kind of fallen angel; much more powerful than those that walked with the demons of Hell, since you seem so partial to them.” With that, Kai released his grip and walked a few feet away before unfurling his wings and taking off.

Baekhyun’s hand went to his neck automatically as he watched Kai fly away with angry beats of his leathery wings. He shot him a glare filled with as much hatred as he could and spun on his heel. He growled at a blue haired lesser demon – those without wings –  who had watched the whole exchange. When the lesser demon did not move, he lashed out at him with a beam of light. The lesser demon hissed at him and scurried away, his barbed tail dragging along the ground.

Stomping through the main square, he made his way to his cave – most rooms were carved out from preexisting caves. Plopping down on the edge of his bed, he pulled out his scrying mirror from underneath and stared at his reflection. Admiring his handiwork with the kohl for a few seconds he commanded the mirror to do its job.

Soon, he was staring at a scene of Kai and his fellow demon friend, Luhan, talking. Baekhyun watched intently, trying to read their lips, but was unable to do so. He sighed as Kai threw his hands in the air, yelling, while Luhan looked on with mild amusement. He almost thought it was a trick of the light when Luhan suddenly winked at him. ‘ _Shit. He knows I’m scrying.’_ As soon as the thought passed through his head, his connection was severed.

Throwing the mirror on the ground, Baekhyun pushed himself to his feet and stormed out of his cave. He caught sight of the angel returning and could not bear to be in the same realm as him. He checked his pockets for his hand adornments and with another glare towards the now landing angel, he leapt into the air, beating his wings with barely controlled rage. He passed through the gates just as they were closing and ascended to the human realm.

Landing softly on the pads of his feet, he pulled out the silver gilding and clasped it on. As long as he wore it, he would appear human to all beings, demons and angels alike. His yellow slitted eyes would appear to be a soft brown and the otherworldly glow would be dulled. His wings whether out in their full form or not would be hidden. Using his powers in the human realm would also be somewhat inhibited, but not by much. For a demon as old as Baekhyun, the decrease in his powers would not make a noticeable difference.

He startled an old woman as he suddenly became visible to human eyes and smirked to himself. She gaped at him in horror, crying out words in one of the indigenous languages that Baekhyun had not cared to learn. He supposed he could have some fun here while the presence of the angel mocked the very meaning of Hell itself. He snapped his fingers and his outfit changed. In hell, most wore light tunics to combat the heat, but not Baekhyun. He was much older than most of the demons, so the heat did not faze him. He brushed some of the limestone dust off his scarlet jacket and continued towards the heart of the city.

~*~

Chanyeol tossed his armor onto the ground and fell to his knees. He dipped his hands into the clear water of the river and washed the grime off his face. He was covered in the dust of the limestone battle field and the black blood of the demons that he slayed, using his heavenfire sword. His auburn hair was plastered to his skin and his body was fatigued. He knew his wings were covered in soot and wanted to bathe in the heavenly springs near his dwelling in the sky.

He sighed and began rinsing the remains of demon blood off his helm. He knew it would begin to corrode the armor if he did not get it off in time. He had washed everything but his breast plate when he heard the familiar hissing sound of the blood beginning to breakdown the metal. He sighed and dipped the breast plate into the water and wiped it off with a sad smile on his face. The front had tiny holes on it and looked as if it had rusted.

He gathered his armor and put everything but the breast plate back on before shaking out his wings and taking to the sky. He arrived just in time to see Kyungsoo landing softly ahead of him. “Hey, Kyungsoo!”

Kyungsoo whirled around and gaped at Chanyeol, his mouth opening and closing several times, like a fish out of water.

Chanyeol chuckled and threw his arm around the smaller angel’s shoulders. “I heard about your trip to Hell, it’s not true that you have to stay, right?”

Kyungsoo lifted the edge of his violet tunic and said in a small voice. “I belong to the Demon Lord now.”

Chanyeol wrinkled his nose and frowned. “Why would God allow that?!” He had never heard of angels being traded to Hell before. In fact, the only reason angels even went to Hell was because it was agreed that demons could not be trusted not to betray the Demon Lord once out of Hell.

Kyungsoo shrugged and maneuvered from under Chanyeol’s arm. “I don’t know.” He glanced towards the doors to the main hall. “I have to deliver a message and then I’m returning to Hell.”

The taller angel watched as Kyungsoo disappeared through the doors. He wondered if Kyungsoo would become one of the Fallen, but he shook the idea from his head. Kyungsoo was one of the most recent natural born angels, aside from Suho and the Seraphim, and his rank was Virtue, the fifth rank, and he had only been an angel for less than a millennium. Surely there was a reason for why God was allowing this madness to occur.

Chanyeol made his way to the armory after dropping off the untarnished pieces of his armor. He kept his gaze to his feet as he passed the ruined breast plate to Yixing. “Umm…”

Yixing looked at him with a look of mild frustration. “This is the fifth one this week.” He was hammering a helmet out of the soft golden metal found in Heaven.

“I know.” Chanyeol bit his lip. He could not help the fact that he was not the cleanest fighter, but he was one of the best. He enjoyed being out on the battle field, but sometimes he longed for the quiet life of most of Heaven’s occupants.

Yixing’s nearly white wings twitched in annoyance as he sighed and tossed the breast plate into the pile of others that were destroyed. “I’ll make you another one and have it delivered later. In the meantime, Cher-Suho has requested your presence,” he braced his hands on the table and took a deep breath, “he’s in his quarters waiting.” He looked exhausted.

Chanyeol frowned. “Are you okay?” He wondered when Yixing last had a day off.

Yixing grinned suddenly and straightened. “Yes, I’m fine, now go, he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

Chanyeol left Yixing’s armory with a strange feeling. He assumed that everyone was feeling a bit out of sorts with the recent influx of demons on the field. That and the numbers of angels were dropping significantly. He feared that they would not come out on top, and they all knew what would happen to the human population if that were to occur.

He walked down the wide, straight path that lead to the western side of Heaven and marveled at the rays of sunlight that danced on the clouds at his feet. He was always fascinated by the smallest of things. A smile played at the corner of his lips and he waved at some familiar faces as they flitted about above him.

Chanyeol knew he still needed to clean his wings as well as have them treated with more serum to prevent the fiery bowels of Hell from wreaking havoc on the delicate feathers, but he had to attend to the more important matter at hand. Still, he shook out more dust and small particles of limestone from his wings as he walked to Suho’s quarters. He looked up to see a few angels flying about. Most angels walked to where they needed to be, but if they were in a hurry they flew. It was not that flying was prohibited, but the calm nature of Heaven just did not warrant constant use of wings. That, and wings were a status symbol here. They displayed the rank and purity of all angels. The whiter they were, the higher ranked and more pure they were.

He arrived at the dwelling of the Cherubim and was ushered in by the doors opening themselves. The dwelling was the second purest location in Heaven. The purest belonged to the seraphim and it was said in whispers among the other angels that God himself lived there surrounded by the highest form of angels there were, the seraphim. The seraphim spent nearly every moment of every day worshipping God. 

Suho – one of the recently born natural angels –  was promoted to Cherubim two centuries ago and there were already rumors of him being promoted to Seraphim soon. There were two subsets of angels: those who were created by God himself – the natural born, and those who were recruited from the human realm – most of the angels. Neither was regarded higher than the other officially, but all angels knew how rare it was for angels to be created.

Yet, Chanyeol always wanted to be a high-ranking angel. He was still in the eighth rank, Archangel – the warrior angels – and he hoped that before the millennia was over he would at least be promoted to Power. The Powers were only the sixth ranked angels, but they were the ones that he looked up to the most. They were the first that God created and they were responsible for maintaining the border between Heaven and Earth as well as watch out for demonic attack. Not only that, but they got special armor and were permitted to use two heavenfire swords on the battle field. 

He knew he would probably never be promoted higher than that, and he was okay with that, so long as he never had to be a Guardian Angel ever again. They were the ninth and lowest rank and were often the butt of many jokes, mainly because everyone had to be one at some point. Some enjoyed being Guardians and even requested to remain as such, but most hoped to move on quickly.

He placed a hand on the doorway, for none of the rooms had doors in them, and peeked his head in. He addressed him in the formal manner as he stepped through the doorway. “Cher-Suho?”

Suho glanced up from his desk where he was composing the next letter to the Demon Lord, and then held up one finger and continued to write. His eyes took on a faraway look as if he was hearing the voice of God directly in his head.

Chanyeol watched with curiosity and then looked around at Suho’s room. It was nearly bare, with only a neatly made bed, a desk, and a single window. Everything in the room was white from the floor to the ceiling to the comforters that were perfectly placed on the mattress.

The Archangel kept his wings close to his body and held them as still as he could to keep from leaving a trail of limestone. He knew he could retract them fully, but no one ever did that in Heaven because they would be seen as ashamed of their rank. His own were a downy gray color with white speckles that started at his shoulder blade and extended outwards, while Suho’s only had the tiniest gray tinge and the very tips.

The Cherubim rolled the scroll of light tightly. He placed it on the edge of his desk. He turned to face Chanyeol with a grim expression. He clasped his delicate together. Every movement he made looked graceful and elegant. “I have been given word to remove you from the battle fields.”

Shock coursed through Chanyeol. “Why? I mean, my apologies, Cher-Suho. Have I been stationed elsewhere?” His surprise caused him to forget his manners.

Suho studied his face for a moment and then rose to his feet, his wings gently sweeping the floor as he did so. “You have a new mission.” He reached inside his robes and pulled out a scroll of light and handed it to Chanyeol. “Your instructions are simple. Go to the human realm and round up new recruits. Everything you need to know about selecting the proper humans is included in your debriefing.” He then turned and opened a drawer on his desk and brought out a ring with a cross etched into it. “This will disguise you as human so long as you wear it. It will also hide your identity from demons.”

Chanyeol reached out with shaking hands and gingerly plucked the ring from Suho’s hands. “Should I go now?” He looked back to the Cherubim. He always seemed so prim and put together. It had to be one of the traits of a natural born.

Suho chuckled. “Wash up first and then rest. Your departure is not for a few days. We have a dwelling set up for you in the human realm.” He led Chanyeol to the doorway and gave him a gentle push. “If you send enough back to Heaven, Arch-Chanyeol, you may be looking at a new title.”

Chanyeol turned to face Suho and beamed at him. “Thank you!”

Suho smiled serenely his eyes looking faraway again, “Don’t thank me, it is the will of God.”          

~*~

Baekhyun had charmed a woman into giving him a room for free an hour earlier and was now putting the finishing touches to the room. He had changed the gray curtains to a scarlet red and upgraded the thin mattress to a four-poster bed. After all, if he was going to be staying in the human realm, he wanted to be comfortable. The once white carpet was now a deep violet and impossibly plush, as if Baekhyun was walking on clouds.

Now that he was done using his powers, he was bored. Not only that, but he had built up a small appetite. He kicked his scrying mirror under the bed and then pulled on a pair of boots. He ran his fingers through his hair as he walked out the door. He absentmindedly touched his star shaped hand garment and listened as the chains tinkled softly. The hallway was almost too quiet, but Baekhyun was not one to worry about those types of things, after all he was here to have fun.

As he stepped out into the bright morning light, he squinted. The brightness of the sun’s rays was something he would never quite get used to, no matter how many times he traveled to the human realm. He passed by various shop fronts, inhaling the sweet grainy aroma wafting from the bakery ahead of him. While he had no need for human food to sustain him –  he usually fed on the souls of the corrupted; it was where humans had gotten their ideas of vampires from –  he did enjoy the taste of some of the human delicacies.

He walked into the bakery and noticed a rather large cross hanging on the back wall. _Gross._ He wrinkled his nose and started towards the door he came in, but a baritone voice called after him. “Wait!”

Baekhyun spun around and was met by a face that he had not expected to be attached to the deep voice. The tall, lanky, and cheerfully smiling male brushed his flour-caked hands off on his apron and looked at him expectantly. Baekhyun narrowed his eyes – the human followers of Heaven were always too happy for his tastes. He frowned deeply but then decided it would not be harmful to at least converse with the blind followers. “Yes?” He kept his tone even. He noticed that the human blushed slightly when he met his eyes.

The auburn-haired male’s grin softened and he extended a hand towards him over the counter. “I’m Chanyeol.”

Baekhyun stared at his hand until he let it drop and then glanced at the pastries. He pointed to a glazed twisted donut and looked up at Chanyeol. “I’ll take two of those.” He felt his mood brighten as the human’s smile faltered at his rudeness. He liked knocking the followers off kilter.

Chanyeol blinked at him, a small pout puckered his lips, but then bent down to grab two of the pastries. He cleared his throat as he put them in a small bag. Pressing a few keys on the register he cleared his throat again, “That’ll be two dollars.”

Baekhyun considered charming him, but thought better of it and fished out a wallet he had stolen yesterday and took out two bills and placed them on the counter. He turned on his heel and headed for the door. He paused with his hand hovering over the bar and glanced over his shoulder and gave Chanyeol his best seductive smile. "It was nice meeting you.” He winked.

Chanyeol blushed deeply again. He glanced down at the counter and then back at Baekhyun. He raised his hand and gave a small wave while biting his lip. That was all the proof Baekhyun needed. If this follower of Heaven was into him then, corrupting him would be that much sweeter. He could already imagine his hands all over the human’s body, sullying his soul with the sin of lust.

Once outside, Baekhyun opened the bag and pulled out one of the donuts and licked a bit of the sugary glaze off; sucking on his finger lightly. His eyes flicked upwards towards the sky and he scoffed. With Heaven losing more and more angels in the battle field each day, it would only be a matter of time before the human world was theirs to do as they pleased. But, Baekhyun’s first plan once the war was won, was to take out Kai as the Demon Lord and rule for himself. Then, and only then, would things get interesting.

~*~

Chanyeol stared at the door as it swung shut in disbelief. Through the glass he could see the man sucking lightly on his finger. Something about him woke a strange sensation within him. He shook his head. His first day in the human realm and he had already experienced their confusing nature. He was used to the angelic way of expressing oneself. All angels bore their true feelings on their faces, as they had nothing to hide from one another, so witnessing the coy actions of his first customer left him feeling a little shocked.

He twisted the ring on his pinky without noticing as he watched humans pass by the bakery. As the day went on, more walked in and bought various pastries. Their demeanors ranged in a wide variety. One woman had a strange device attached to her ear that she continued to talk to. She never gave Chanyeol more than a cursory glance and pointed at what she wanted and held up her fingers to dictate how many she wanted and kept yelling at the device. He gathered soon enough that it was one of the most prolific forms of human technology as more and more time went on.

He was always entertained by what humans created as time went on. Especially since he died long before their civilization had grown this much. So, seeing their strange devices and witnessing their technological vices was awe inspiring. He understood why God wanted to protect them so much.

Another human brought a smaller one with them, their child, Chanyeol presumed, and chatted with him cheerily as the child skipped around the bakery. Chanyeol found himself saddened when that customer left, because they were the first one to have a conversation with him. The majority of the other customers that came in, merely ordered and thanked him before they left.

By the end of the day, Chanyeol had baked four batches of everything and sold out more than he expected. He watched the sun set and felt a small pang of homesickness. He knew he was on a mission, but he wanted to take the first week to get used to the human realm, considering he was going to be there for the next year. Angels often went on excursions to the human realm, but that was usually reserved for Cherubim. So the fact that Chanyeol was on this mission meant he might be looking at advancing past several ranks to reach Cherubim. It was not unheard of, but Chanyeol did not think he was worthy of such a rush in rank.

He sighed as he closed the shop and found himself gazing longing at the sky. His wings ached to be used and he did not like having to retract them for so long. He knew that as soon as he removed the ring, humans would no longer be able to see him, but he had been warned that there were demons living among the humans. He had not seen any yet, and he hoped he would not have to see any either. It was not because he was unarmed, he could fight against a demon unarmed if needed, he just did not want anything to ruin his mission.

Chanyeol walked down the street, passing by alleys and pubs that were opened well into the night, and headed towards the place he was staying. It was directly across from the church and right next to a small apartment complex. He figured once he got inside he would remove the ring and unfurl his wings and stretch them. However, he did not do that as right before he unlocked his door, he heard voices coming from across the street.

He crept over and saw that there were two humans attempting to break into the church and without thinking he walked out into plain sight and addressed them. “Stop!” The two humans stared at him and then each other, before they began to advance on him. Chanyeol sighed and gave them a concerned look.

The humans circled him, talking to one another about how they were going to give him a good beating for interrupting their plans. He had forgotten that not all humans were as pleasant as the ones he had seen today. Chanyeol stood, frowning, he was not supposed to harm the humans, but he was sure that this was a case that could be overlooked. “The cruelty of humans has always puzzled me.”

The humans cackled and one of them dove into an attack. Chanyeol side stepped him and struck him at the junction of the shoulder joint, rendering his arm useless. The man stared at him and tried to use his other arm to attack and Chanyeol struck another pressure point and the man fell to the ground. His partner watched this and then bolted. Chanyeol stared down at the man and then hefted him up and carried him to the local police station, about three blocks away.

When he returned, he caught sight of the guy from this past morning and thought about calling out to him. With his hand still half raised in the air, the guy turned and looked almost through him before entering the apartment complex. His expression was eerie. Chanyeol shivered involuntarily and pursed his lips. He always liked a challenge, so he figured if he could get closer to that human, he might be able to recruit him.

~*~

Baekhyun pulled the scrying mirror from under his bed and brought it with him to the large bathroom. Another thing he enjoyed about the human realm, was their inventions. The hot springs of Hell were always packed with demons from all classes and he had always been somewhat of a loner. The only other being he could call a friend was Kai, and that was before he claimed the throne. Fallen Angel Kai was different from Demon Lord Kai. Fallen Angel Kai enjoyed playing pranks on the human race, Fallen Angel Kai liked tormenting humans, and Fallen Angel Kai despised heavenly angels even more than Baekhyun did. Demon Lord Kai was not the same person. He now consorted with those he hated more than anything and Baekhyun could not help but feel betrayed.

After adding a copious amount of bubbles to the water, Baekhyun slowly undressed himself. He watched as his eyes faded from the soft brown to the harsh slitted yellow eyes after he removed the hand jewelry. He unfurled his wings and gave them a shake to get rid of the cramps he had in them from keeping retracted all day. He could not figure out how Kai could go days with his retracted. It did not make sense to him. He quickly removed the rest of his clothing and admired his nude body for a few moments.

He dipped a toe into the water and then the rest of his body followed. Sinking up his neck, he held the scrying mirror at eye level and commanded it by using the demon language. He watched as it rippled and showed something he rather not have seen in that moment. He almost dropped the scrying mirror as he watched Kai grab the angel by the waist and push into him. There was a small flash of jealousy that gave him a bitter taste in his mouth and he quickly severed the connection.

Sure, he and Kai fooled around a bit, back in his Fallen days, but they were never an item. Now that he knew the real reason behind the angel’s presence in Hell, he scowled. So, it seemed that in the midst of a war between the realms, Kai was burying himself in the angel’s ass. Sex had never been a big deal in Hell, but sex with an angel was severely looked down upon. It was usually a cue that the demon was an angel sympathizer. If anyone found out, Kai would surely be ruined. Grinning to himself, Baekhyun placed the scrying mirror on the edge of the tub.

He then thought back to the human he met in the bakery, Chanyeol, and he figured that if Kai had already forgotten their steamy nights together, then he may as well forget them too. Although there were no rules against having relations with humans, for demons, it was still looked down upon. Humans were easy prey, easily beguiled and easily controlled. Yet, there were those that went so far as to remain up here in the human realm, because they had fallen in love with such fragile beings, and one of them came to mind, Wufan, but no one had heard of him since.

Pulling up the stopper, Baekhyun climbed out of the tub and reached for a towel to dry off his body. Tomorrow he would find Wufan and ask him everything he knew about humans, before he made his move. He vaguely remembered a ritual where a human could be transformed into a demon, and he could not help but think that Chanyeol would look so much better in the dim red lighting of Hell, than the obnoxiously bright sunlight of the human realm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again forgive me for some of the cringey-ness of this chapter. Again it gets better. Keep reading if you'd like! :)


	4. Corner of Your Heart

Kyungsoo stared at his feet as he waited to be addressed. Although part of him was happy to be in Heaven once more, he felt as if he did not belong. He had been deflowered, was no longer pure, and had given in to the temptations of the flesh. Sure, he had indulged years ago, before Kai – no, Jongin – had been cast out, but those were simple chaste kisses that gave them a rush. He had never intended for things to go so far. He had never intended for feelings to develop. While he had millennia to practice and get those last remains of human tendencies to disappear altogether, Jongin had only been an angel for a few short years.

The day he had been assigned to him for Guardian Angel training, Kyungsoo had been eager. He was one of the few who enjoyed being a Guardian Angel. It was a nice transition from the human realm for the recruited angels and a great way to learn about humans for the natural born – since they remained there to watch over their assignments. However, being a natural born angel meant he advanced through the ranks quickly, so he was not a Guardian for long.

He could still remember the wide-eyed look on Jongin’s face as he was escorted to the Virtue’s dwelling.  The pitiful thing had only been an angel for a few days and had yet to get the hang of flying, so he had kept his wings fully retracted. At the time, they were a deep gray color, not quite the same dull gray as the other Guardian Angels, but a glossy rich gray, almost bordering on black. He should have noticed the signs earlier.

Kyungsoo bit his lip as the memories flooded forth. All those years he blamed himself for the ejection of Jongin, came rushing back with the force of a semi-truck. He could remember the first time he told Jongin to keep his wings tucked – not retracted – against that sun-kissed skin, as that was the way of the angels, and the way Jongin frowned as he changed their composition enough for them to be folded against his back. He could remember the first time he had invited Jongin to his favorite place in Heaven, the little secluded area that was always blanketed by thin clouds so one could hardly see more than a few feet in front of them. He remembered telling Jongin to relax and close his eyes. He remembered how fast his heart was beating as he lightly pressed his lips against his. The kiss lasted less than a second, but that second was long enough to send Jongin spiraling down a dangerous path.

It was ironic that, while his intentions had been pure curiosity, that they both ended up developing feelings for one another. The only difference was that Kyungsoo could hide his and knew his duty to God came first. Jongin, being as young as he was, did not know. He still had the recklessness of the humans and he lived through his emotions. So, when the day came that God had ordered Jongin to join the Archangels and begin battling on the field, he refused and Kyungsoo had watched in horror as he stood there, outright defying the will of God, with a look of complete determination. The moment was short lived though, because he had been removed right then, two large Powers had grabbed him by either side and dragged him past Kyungsoo’s hiding spot, where they had met eyes for a moment and Kyungsoo had looked away. It was entirely his fault.

“Bring forth the message, Kyungsoo.” The Thrones’ choral voices bellowed.

The purple clad angel stepped forward, keeping his gaze trained on the light clouds that swirled at his feet. He placed the scroll of light in front of their feet and stepped backwards. He did not want to even touch another angel out of fear of corrupting them. He bit his lip and sighed. He felt lower than low. He felt like scum.

“Remember, forgiveness is still attainable, little one.” The Thrones repeated.

Kyungsoo nodded his head. He did not deserve forgiveness, not after what he had done. He hated how he enjoyed it so much. He hated how, in the back of his mind, he hoped that once he returned to Hell; that Kai would be waiting for him. He pursed his lips and gripped the violet tunic in his fists and dared to look up. What his eyes met nearly shocked him.

There was a Seraphim standing in front of him, wearing the saddest of faces. Its brilliant white wings were glowing and its feet hovered over heavenly floor. Kyungsoo felt even dirtier in its presence. He bowed his head and spoke in a soft voice. “Ser.”

The Seraphim stared at him for a moment longer before it handed him another scroll of light. Kyungsoo took it, carefully avoiding touching the angel out of fear of soiling its pure hands, and bowed again. He turned and headed towards the door, feeling even lower than before. The Seraphim surely had known what he was thinking. That could be the only explanation for its expression.

He was almost at the entrance to Heaven, when another scroll of light landed in front of him. He glanced up, looking for its source but there were no angels nearby. He opened it and scanned the message quickly. He had another option for redemption. All he needed to do was betray the Demon Lord in the only way he could – by making the Demon Lord fall for him and then killing him. The scroll also mentioned that all the transgressions of flesh he committed would be forgiven. His mind reeled, he knew what the right choice was, and he knew that he would regret it.

With one forlorn glance at the place he once called home, he dove off towards the gates of Hell.

~*~

“Damn that Baekhyun.” Kai grumbled and then laughed bitterly. He continued to fly around aimlessly, watching over the rest of the demon population he ruled over. When he had been cast from Heaven, he never thought that he would end up being the ruler of this dimension. It was ironic in a way. He had gone from being the lowest rank in Heaven to the highest in Hell. Perhaps Hell had been his true destination all this time.

He watched as a group of green haired lesser demons crowded into one of the hot springs and as the group of Fallen Angels, who had been soaking in the scalding hot waters, climbed out and left. It was always that way. Even though they resided in the same realm, there were many different alliances within Hell. Lesser demons watched out for their kind, fallen angels watched for their own kin as well. It was the natural born demons Kai needed to be wary of. They were old and powerful and their alliances were as fickle as their moods. 

That and being a Fallen Angel himself, there were those that believed him to be unfit as the Demon Lord. If he was not careful, nothing was stopping another demon from challenging him for the throne. If that demon happened to be a natural born, well Kai would have to kiss his life good bye. He was powerful, but no Fallen Angel was nearly as powerful as the natural born – not even the Forsaken – whose power also surpassed Kai’s. There were ways to gain more power, but that required a visit to the original demon, Lucifer himself.

However, as they were in the middle of a war, most of them kept their opinions to themselves and followed the orders that Kai gave. He decided after watching them for a few moments more, to go pay a visit to Luhan and get his view on the whole situation with Kyungsoo. He laughed bitterly again at the thought, because he had spent a great many years pining over him in Heaven and even in Hell. He could remember the hurt he felt when the angel had turned away from him as he was being literally cast out, and yet he could not bring himself to hate him. The feelings he had for him in Heaven had only been amplified in Hell and that made him even more nervous. He snorted to himself and took off towards Luhan’s quarters.

Luhan was one of the two natural born demons that he trusted. He always seemed impartial to happenings in Hell. As long as he could indulge as he pleased, he seemed fine with being on Kai’s side. Baekhyun, however was the other natural born he trusted, but he was beginning to question that now. Yet, Baekhyun had been the one to take him under his wing, so he was hesitant to suspect his motives were against him. 

He knew Baekhyun was mad at him, though. He supposed it was because he now had so many responsibilities that they could no longer go to the human realm and torment people, which had been one of their favorite pastimes aside from the occasional romp. Most inhabitants of Hell experimented with each other. And Kai was no exception. Baekhyun had been the first to claim him in Hell so most of the other demons steered clear of him during their time together. But, that time was short, as Baekhyun's attentions soon changed from lust and curiosity to grander things.

Luhan on the other hand, had adopted some of the ways of the humans and remained in an exclusive relationship with another natural born demon named Sehun. Kai did not know much about him, other than he was always with Luhan, so he did not know if he could trust him or not.

He landed with a dull thud and fully retracted his wings. It was not as though he hated the sight of them – they were magnificent to behold with their deep purple color and sharp boney protrusions, but he just felt no need to have them getting in the way and he never felt the cramps that so many others complained about. He pushed back the thin curtain Luhan had hanging across the entrance to his room and stepped in.

Luhan glanced up at him with a bored expression. “My lord,” His tone was neither reverent nor disrespectful. His gaze had returned to the novel he was reading. He must have taken a trip to the human realm recently as there were more novels sitting upon his desk.

Kai sighed, demons were supposed to request to leave the realm, but he had other things to worry about. “What I am about to tell you, must never leave this room.” Kai knew Luhan usually provided a decent point of view on the problems of Hell. It was the main reason why he trusted him.

Luhan closed the novel and gave Kai his full attention. “You have my word, for whatever that’s worth.”

Kai rolled his eyes; he was not in any mood for Luhan’s mind games. He even threw up the shields in his head to keep Luhan from threading through his thoughts. It earned him a slight frown from the telepathic demon, but no other comment. “I have brought an angel into our ranks.”

Luhan’s face remained unchanged, but his red eyes flashed a dark emotion. “What makes you think this is an innovative idea?” He leaned forward and clasped his hands over his clothed knees. Kai took the time to really look at him, his usual tunic had been traded in for a slick suit. He must have just gotten back from the human realm. This irked Kai even more.

The Demon Lord turned his head, to put up an equally unreadable expression as he thought. Truthfully, he was unsure if it was beneficial or not. He just wanted to finally have Kyungsoo in a way that Heaven had forbidden. Yet, the more he thought about it, the more he wanted a solid defense against the questions that would soon arise. There had to be some type of benefit of having an angel in Hell. Perhaps he could use him to gain knowledge about the heavenly forces on the battlefield, but seeing as they were already looking at a victory, that was not needed either. There must be something he could be used for. Kai took a deep breath and met Luhan’s gaze with an air of leadership. “What makes you question my motives?”

Luhan stretched back and regarded Kai with amusement dancing in his eyes. His lips were pulled into a smug smile. “I know how you are, my lord. You act first, think last. Why else would you have delegated me as your personal counsel?”

A muscle in Kai’s jaw twitched. “That was before I rose to power.” He momentarily let his guard fall and soon he felt the sensation of his thoughts being examined. Rage boiled within him and he shot his walls back up forcefully. “I told you to never do that.”

“At least I’m not thinking with my cock, my lord.” His gaze slid down Kai’s body to his crotch. Then his eyes flicked up, staring just over Kai’s shoulder. He grinned and winked.

Kai stared at him. The biggest differences between being of high power in Hell and in Heaven, was the level of respect one received and the boundaries that were often crossed. “Was it Baekhyun again?” He knew that the demon had obtained a scrying mirror lately and had taken to spying on everyone, especially Kai. While he could never tell when he was being looked on, Luhan’s telepathy gave him an advantage. A small nod from Luhan gave him his answer and he gritted his teeth. He turned on his heel, his thoughts muddled and angered.

“You don’t want my opinion on this?” Luhan called after him. He had stood up and was removing the suit he was wearing. The muscles in his arms rippled.

Kai glanced over his shoulder at him and raised an eyebrow. He said nothing.

“Personally, I think it will be beneficial, having the enemy in our hands at all times, but then again, I would know what to do with him, and it would not involve fucking him senseless. He is of high rank, right? He should have valuable information.” Luhan had finished undressing and was in his tunic. He picked up his novel and began reading once more.

Kai bit his lip and mulled it over. Kyungsoo had to at least be of the sixth rank if he was permitted to bring messages to Hell. They were often the ones that could enter Hell without risk of being tempted to join their forces. “Perhaps.” He said and then unfurled his wings. Kyungsoo would be returning soon with a reply and he had a lot to think about.

When he returned to his quarters, he found Kyungsoo sitting on the edge of his bed, holding a scroll of light. He guessed that he had spent more time in Luhan’s company than he had expected. He sent away his servants with a flick of his wrist and set his gaze on the angel. He curled one finger at him and watched hungrily as the angel stood to his feet, his half gray half white wings tucked behind him.

Kai plucked the scroll from his hands and then pulled the angel against him. Kyungsoo made a sound of surprise and he blushed deeply – red was such an attractive color on him. “Retract your wings.” Kai ordered and once the angel did as he was told, he turned him around, his chest against the pale back, and unrolled the scroll of light. He could feel Kyungsoo stiffen as they both read the contents. It appeared there had been another ultimatum made. If Kai gave up the throne, he could return to Heaven as an angel, but if he did not, then God had no choice but to send out all the big guns, and the war would continue.

“You shouldn’t do it.” Kyungsoo whispered. His body was tense.

Kai could not see his face, but the tone in his voice made him drop the scroll. He spun him around and stared into the dark irises. “What do you mean?” Not that he wanted to be back in Heaven.

Kyungsoo shook his head. He reached up and cupped Kai’s face. “Because if you did, I would still be here, I’m on your side, remember?” He wove his fingers through Kai’s hair and pulled him down for a kiss. It reminded the Demon Lord of the feather light brushes they shared so many years ago.

He broke the kiss first and stared down at the angel. “What do you mean?” He repeated.

“I don’t belong there anymore. I’m no longer pure, and there is no way I can go back now. I can’t go back to not _feeling_ , not after last night.” Kyungsoo whispered and back out of Kai’s embrace. He let his shoulders drop and he wrung his hands.

Kai frowned. While he did want the angel on his side, for selfish reasons, he did not to fully imprison him. He stepped forward and placed a hand on Kyungsoo’s small shoulder. “It’s true that I can make you feel things you’ve never experienced.” He let the sultry tone of his voice convey what exactly he had in mind. “But you of all angels, belong there, even if I’m keeping you here.”

Kyungsoo shrugged him off and turned to face him. His face was unreadable, but his eyes held sorrow so deep, he was practically drowning in it. “I’m so sorry.”

It took Kai a moment to realize what he was referring to and when he did, he turned his back to him. “I told you, Jongin is dead. The past is the past; there is nothing you can do to change it.” He stared at the limestone wall. “I’ll have someone show you to your quarters. It’s not far from here.” He snapped his fingers and his servants returned.

He waited until Kyungsoo left before going over to his bed and sitting down on the edge. He stared at the scroll on the ground and cursed it. Everything was so cluttered in his mind. He had no desire to return to Heaven, none whatsoever, but at the same time, he was finding the throne to be quite annoying. Things were fine until the angel showed up and stirred his emotions. If only he was not so drawn to him, he would have easily let him return to Heaven without requesting that he become his.

~*~

Kyungsoo followed the servant glumly. He wished that he did not have to act. Part of him still loved Jongin, even if he denied his existence and claimed to be Kai now. While part of him was highly attracted to the Demon Lord, he wondered why it had taken a simple act of flesh for his morals to be shaken. He was no longer certain of his allegiance to Heaven, and he certainly did not want to go through with the plan and kill the Demon Lord either. But he was still not sure if he would in the end. Could he bring himself to kill him? If not, did that mean he was defying God’s will? Would that make him Fallen? Would that condemn him to an eternity chained to the bowels of Hell? He was no longer sure where he belonged now.

After the servant led him to a room, no more than a few meters away from Kai’s, he frowned and entered. The room was just like Kai’s. It was lit by the dim red glow that was so common in Hell and smelled faintly of sulfur. He wrinkled his nose and hoped that he would eventually get used to the odor. The thought made him grimace because he had already accepted that he would remain here and yet he was still trying to follow God’s orders and get Kai to believe him to be true. Why did everything have to be so contradictory? He could not figure out if the lines of good and evil had always been so blurred.

He glanced at the bed and sat down. It had black silken sheets, and fluffy pillows. Oddly enough, the bed was more comfortable than the one he had in Heaven. The mattress was not too firm and not too soft, it was perfect somehow. He flopped on stomach and unfurled his wings. He ached to fly and to use the strong muscles to lift him higher and higher into the air, but there was not enough room in his quarters so he sighed.

He wondered if he was allowed to roam the city, but decided against it. For as long as his wings remained covered in the soft feathers, he would be a spectacle. If he retracted them, he could walk around, mostly unnoticed, but he did not want to do that either. He stretched them as far out as he could and then slid off the bed to examine them in the mirror-like stone. They were the same color, and all the feathers were just as glossy as ever. He wondered when the heat would make them grow dull. He guessed his indecisiveness was keeping him from becoming one of the Fallen.

There was a loud grinding sound and suddenly Kai was standing in front of a doorway he had not known existed. “There is a pathway that leads directly to my chambers from here. When I have need of you, as I do now, I will either request your presence, or simply show up.”

Kyungsoo retracted his wings and rolled onto his back. “What do you need of me?”

“I need you to return with my response.” He gestured with the scroll of darkness and crossed the distance. “But first, I need _this_.” He crawled onto the bed and hovered over Kyungsoo’s body. His lips brushed against the luscious tender mouth gently before he deepened the kiss.

Kyungsoo’s body acted on its own. His arms found their way around Kai’s neck, and he pulled him down. He arched up against him, trying to garner as much contact as he could. He had no idea why he wanted the pressure of his body on his so much, these were the types of things he never really experienced, never had the opportunity. And the sensations of his lips against his, their tongues rolling, tasting, and teasing, were quickly clouding his mind and erasing his previous worries away.

He had not even realized that he had tugged off the tunic until he tossed it on the ground over the edge of the bed. Kai watched him with sensual amusement, a single eyebrow raised. “One little taste has you this eager? Don’t worry, little angel, I’ll make it worth your while.”

Just looking at the beautifully carved body of delicious tanned skin kept the traitorous thoughts away. Kyungsoo bit his lip to keep from whining at the sight of Kai’s lithe body crawling over him once more. He wanted him so badly. He never would have thought that the indulgences of the flesh could be so strong, but the way his body reacted told him that it was only the beginning. “Please.” He could barely say it without the yearning creeping in. He leaned back and closed his eyes as Kai peppered kisses along his neck.

Kai sighed as he rested his full weight on the angel. He had every intention of making this as sweet as can be, but he was also frustrated, so he had a feeling that his initial plans would change. He found each freckle and sucked on them playfully, leaving the pale skin surrounding them slightly red. The sharpness of Kyungsoo’s breathing beneath him only excited him more. The way he had his eyes shut and his perfect lips parted almost drove him over the edge. He reigned in his desire and continued with the foreplay.

Kyungsoo could barely take it any longer. The gentle brush of Kai’s hand along his inner thigh as he whispered, in the angelic language, in his ear, telling everything he was going to do to him was too much. He could feel himself hardening and was beyond turned on. He whimpered as his nipple was brushed against by a thumb while Kai kissed a path down his jaw. He thought he would explode from the overwhelming sensations. He scrunched his toes and let out a deep moan.

Kai simply smirked at the squirming angel beneath him and used his hands to explore every inch of that perfect body. It was soft in all the right places and most definitely hard in the place that counted. He ghosted his fingers around the base of the hardened member and captured Kyungsoo’s lips once more, lightly sucking on his bottom lip as he teased him.

The angel was completely beside himself, squirming, trying to use friction to soothe the ache in his groin. He bit down on his lip when Kai began kissing him across his chest, tongue flicking the perk nipples, hot breath caressing his entirely too sensitive skin. Those sinful hands nearing his weeping cock, teasing the skin at the base, running a finger along the underside, but never actually alleviating the pressure. He arched up again, whining in the back of this throat, he needed him now. 

The Demon Lord shifted until his forehead rested against the angel’s. “Yes?”

“Please!” He could not say anything else; his mind was too consumed by his desire, too muddled to form a simple sentence. He was heady, slowly going insane from the gentle teasing of Kai’s hands, lips, and body. Even the tone of his voice sent vibrations down his spine.

“Please what?” Kai whispered against Kyungsoo’s lips. His fingers prodded the plush thighs, digging in just enough to leave marks.

The angel shuddered. He dared to open his eyes and found himself staring into the sultriness of the yellow, slitted irises. Who knew eyes like that could cause such a raging desire to bubble up within? He dug his nails into Kai’s back, leaving streaks of red, puckered welts in their wake and groaned. He could feel the hardness of Kai’s thick tool pressing against him. “Please,” he repeated.

Kai smirked at him, his thumb running over the head of the angel’s cock. “What do you want me to do?”

The intonation made Kyungsoo bite his lip hard enough to break the skin. A bead of shimmering blood sprung forth and Kai swiped his tongue over and tasted it, he groaned deep in his chest over the sweet decadence. He then shifted until his face was level with the straining dick. He wrapped experienced fingers around the shaft and gave it a tug. The angel gasped and rocked his hips upwards. His eyes met the gaze of the Demon Lord and he wet his lips. He opened his mouth to say something but all that came out was a breathy moan as Kai gave him another slow tug.

The sinful lips soon closed over the throbbing member. Kai’s tongue lazily slid over the slit, lapping the precome that had leaked out. He continued to jerk the angels cock slowly with practiced rhythm. Kyungsoo keened, high and loud. He wanted Kai to pick up the pace as the slow pleasuring was completely unbearable. He wanted to be fucked hard, hard enough for him to not have to think for a while. His hips bucked and his eyelids fluttered closed. He could feel the pressure increasing with each languid swipe of the Demon Lord’s tongue. The dirty sounds he was making, slurping and lapping made him curl his toes and grip the sheets in clenched fists. This was not only physical input, but auditory as well.

With a resounding pop, Kai released him. His breath was hot as he climbed back up to slide his tongue into the angel’s opened mouth. He explored that moist cavern the same way he had before, with dominance and need. He grinded his hips into Kyungsoo, causing him to gasp once more. He then grabbed both of the angel’s wrists and pinned them above his head. Using his other hand, he reached down and spread Kyungsoo’s legs. The shudder that travelled through the angel, accompanied by a moan, as he slid a single digit into the puckered opening made him smirk. He continued to swipe at Kyungsoo’s tongue with his wet muscle as he began thrusting another finger into him.

In between his ragged breathing Kyungsoo spoke in the demon language. He could not bring himself to say the very same things in the angelic language and he knew it would please Kai to hear him moan in the sinful language. He found himself pushing himself down onto Kai’s fingers, wanting something thicker to replace them. His skin was flushed a light shade of pink and sweat clung to both of their bodies. He grabbed a handful of Kai’s hair and pulled it hard. The Demon Lord let out a gasp in return. It seemed a little pain could go a long way, so Kyungsoo broke away from his mouth and bit into his shoulder. It earned him another low keen.

With a growl, Kai pinned Kyungsoo’s wrists above his head once more. He positioned himself and replaced his fingers with his thick, hard member. He thrust slowly at first, allowing the angel to adjust to the sudden change in girth. The tightness and heat made him loosen his grip momentarily and soon Kyungsoo was digging his nails into his back as he pressed into him.

“F-,” Kyungsoo began and was cut off by Kai’s mouth attacking his with abandon. He tasted him, tongue submitting and teeth knocking. This was quickly turning into something completely different than his first time. His breath was ragged and he moaned into Kai’s mouth. He knew he was rapidly losing the battle with any form of thought and succumbed to the haze in his mind. He was lost in the sensation of being thrusted into, the feeling of hands roaming his body, pinning him down, and the feeling of being fucked into oblivion. He was giving into the sweet seduction of sin, for sin always tempted him, and now he was indulging in the damnation of it all.

Kai grabbed his legs and threw them over his shoulders, glad the angel was flexible enough for this maneuver to be painless, and hammered into him. He gave up on being gentle in exchange for forgetting his doubts for a moment of recklessness. He was drunk on the sounds that came from Kyungsoo’s beautiful mouth. The deep moans crescendoing and gradually becoming higher with each snap of his hips. The smacking of their skin as their bodies melded into one.

Kyungsoo screamed. He reached up and pulled Kai to him, his moans barely concealed as their mouths collided. Kai groaned and quickly changed their positions so that Kyungsoo was now pressed face first into the pillows, his breathless keens muffled, and his reddening ass relentlessly pounded into.

The angel was whimpering, his ignored member spilling come in dribbles. He reached down to touch himself only to have his hand swatted away. Fingers wrapped around the throbbing shaft and began jerking him in time with the rapid pistoning of Kai’s cock. It was only moments later when he came, semen running down the tanned digits, soiling them with his warm seed.

Kai then pulled out and flipped him over. He entered him and held Kyungsoo’s gaze as he licked off the creamy substance as if it were the icing of a cake. He moaned as his undulating hips pushed his pulsating member deeper into the hot cavern. His thrusts were becoming sporadic as he neared his climax. He braced himself on either side of Kyungsoo and sucked on his bottom lip as he thrusted into him harder and faster, chasing his own orgasm. He wanted to fill the angel to the brim, wanted to feel his seed being fucked further into the angel. He had already deflowered the angel, now he wanted to mark him as his. He moved over to the angel’s neck and licked a path down his neck until he settled on the sweet spot near his clavicle.

He angled himself until he struck the prostate, that sensitive bundle of nerves, with each plunge. Kyungsoo clenched around him, his voice going hoarse as his cries escalated in volume and pitch. He wrapped his legs around Kai, pulling him closer, deeper, and increasing the pleasure. Every sense was in hyper drive and when the Demon Lord released the area of skin he had been sucking on and moved back to his lips, he kissed him with all the need he could put behind it. He did not want this moment to end, caught between the aftershock of his previous orgasm and the buildup of his next. It was overwhelming, but the feeling of being fucked by Kai would probably always be that way.

When Kai finally came, his hot seed filling Kyungsoo’s clenched and throbbing channel, he collapsed on top of the angel. Breathing labored, hips still bucking as he rode the aftermath of his climax. Kyungsoo trembled beneath him, still clenching around him as they kissed lazily, mouths not quite meeting the other, tongues haphazardly snaking out to meet in the distance, tasting one another.

Kai slowly pulled out as he softened, and cradled the angel against his chest. He pressed his lips to the sweaty forehead, not caring as he tasted salt, and drifted off. Kyungsoo listened as the beating of their hearts calmed. He was full of endorphins that made him sleepy, and happy. His body tingled and he had completely forgotten about his earlier worries and he too, let slumber overtake him.

When he awoke, he was alone. He blearily glanced around the room, trying to gather his bearings as the unfamiliarity of the dim lights confused his foggy mind. His gaze fell on the tube of light. He had absolutely no desire to return to Heaven in this moment. He rolled out of bed and crawled around on all fours until he found his purple tunic and pulled it over his head. He knew he smelled of sex and really wanted to scrub his skin clean. He walked over to the door that led to Kai’s room and hesitated in front of it. He was not sure if he could show up unexpected, but pushed the thought from his mind and felt along the caverns walls to find something that would open it.

His fingers fell upon a slight indentation and he pressed it. The grinding sound of stone on stone made his ears pop, but he ignored the sensation and walked into the tunnel. For some odd reason, it was slightly cooler than the room and considerably darker. He had to keep a hand on the wall at all times just to make sure he did not get lost. After walking for a few tense moments, he found himself standing in front of what looked to be a dead end. He felt along blindly and when he found a similar indentation, he once again pressed it. The door opened in front of him and he could hear his own closing.

He stepped into Kai’s room and found the Demon Lord standing stark naked, drenched in water, toweling his dark chocolaty hair dry. He froze.

“Yes?” Kai turned around and hungrily scanned Kyungsoo.

“Um, I was wondering where the cleansing springs were.” The angel said.

Kai raised an eyebrow and then stepped sideways to reveal another room branching off of his own. “Use mine. I forgot that your room did not have one made.” The look in his eyes said otherwise.

“Oh, okay, thank you.” Kyungsoo padded past him and into the room. There was steam curling off of the walls, and the lighting was even dimmer. He had to strain his eyes to make out where the spring began and where the ground ended.

Right as he was about to dip a toe in, Kai was behind him, pulling the tunic down on one shoulder, where he pressed his lips. “Let me bathe you.”

Knowing he really did not have a choice, Kyungsoo pulled the cloth completely off and stepped out of it. With a snap of Kai’s fingers, a servant came in and gathered the purple tunic and set two towels on a ledge nearby. Kyungsoo watched all of this with wide eyes and let himself be led into the scorching waters. 

His sudden intake of breath indicated just how hot it was and Kai chuckled and said, “You’ll get used to it after a while.” He then pulled Kyungsoo after him until they were standing in the middle, the water coming up to the angel’s neck and leaving Kai’s shoulders exposed as tendrils of steam swirled around them. He then embraced him, holding him tightly, and their bodies pressing against one another. There was no sexual tension between them at this point, merely confusion on Kyungsoo’s part and another emotion entirely, on Kai’s part. “You didn’t return my response yet.”

Kyungsoo stared down at the dark water. His breathing was labored because of the temperature and because of Kai’s suffocating presence. “I know.”

Kai gently lifted Kyungsoo’s chin. “You don’t want to, do you?”

“No.” He was slowly getting used to the dark now, his eyes picked up slight outline in the dim lighting. He could see that the water was shallower off to his right and started half swimming half walking that way. He needed to relieve the pressure of the water from his chest. Once he got to the shallow end he felt around the edge and was pleased to find a small ledge jutting out and lowered himself onto it.

Kai followed him and reached into a dark hole and pulled out a black cloth and a bottle of some substance. He poured the liquid onto the cloth and lifted Kyungsoo’s leg out of the water and began scrubbing him. “Why is that?” He said, returning to their conversation.

Kyungsoo watched him rub the cloth between his toes before he spoke. “No reason.” Truthfully, he did not want to return because he was afraid that once he did, he would have no choice but to follow through with God’s orders and become close enough to Kai to kill him. He knew the Thrones would question him and when they did that, they would see how defiled his mind had become. That and he knew it would not take long for Kai to fall for him because he could see the expression that Kai had on his face as he lowered his leg and took up the other to clean him. He knew that Kai loved him back when they were both in Heaven, and it was painfully clear that he still did now.

“Well you know you have to return it soon, or they will simply assume that I chose the second option, which I did.” He pulled Kyungsoo to his feet and then began washing his shoulders and neck. “Your skin turns such a lovely shade of red, you know that?”

Sudden dread filled Kyungsoo. He could not kill him. Kai wasn’t completely evil. He was full of lust, but that was rimmed with his love for Kyungsoo. But if salvation was still an option, then he had to. “I’ll take the message back once we’re done here, which, judging by the fact that nearly every inch of me has been cleaned should be soon.”

“Oh, I’m not done with you.” Kai murmured as he trailed his hand south. “I have yet to clean you here,” he wrapped his fingers around Kyungsoo’s now hardening member. “And here.” His other hand danced along his ass cheeks before spreading them. He played at the entrance before slipping a finger in.

Kyungsoo rested his head back against Kai’s chest. His knees grew weak and he let out a soft moan. He was still sore from their previous tryst, but his body relished the touches he was receiving. For being born so pure, his body sure did betray him.

It was not long before Kyungsoo was bracing wet hands on the edge of the hot spring while Kai thrusted deeply into him. While the spring water was hot, Kai was even hotter. The thick length that that hammered into him was nearly fiery and the breaths that tickled the back of his neck cooled the mixture of steam and perspiration on his skin. He moaned as he felt his legs begin to give out beneath him.

Kai pulled out and turned the angel around. He grabbed his arms and put them around his shoulders and hiked his legs up around his waist. He tried to maneuver in a way that the rock would not bite into the pale, soft, flesh, but there was no avoiding it. He held the trembling body against him and thrusted even harder. He growled deep in his chest. Kyungsoo gripped Kai’s shoulders tightly. His head was thrown back and his eyes were screwed shut. He was breathless. 

Kai’s hips snapped forward even faster. The sloshing of the water added to the mingling of their voices as they moaned in ecstasy. His need for the angel was insatiable. It was as if he was making up for all the lost time they had, as it he was trying to forget everything. He wanted to erase the past, make it so that it never happened, and create a new future for them. If he won the war, he knew that things would be easier for him. No one would question his leadership; no one would even bat an eye at the angel that was clinging to him as he fucked him roughly against the edge of the spring.

Kyungsoo placed one hand on the lip of the bathing spring, the other hand followed soon after and Kai lifted him so that he was now sitting on the edge, his feet barely brushing the surface of the scorching water. Kai was still ramming into him, groaning as he pushed deeper into the angel. He gently kissed him and followed as Kyungsoo lowered himself to his back, the smooth floor cool against his raw skin.

Now that they were both out of the water, the only sounds that were heard were their ragged breathing, the slapping of skin against skin, and the deep moans. Kai laced his fingers between Kyungsoo’s and slowed his pace, taking long passionate thrusts instead. The sudden change made the angel open his eyes and his breath caught in his throat. Kai was above him, dripping water and sweat, his eyes closed and lips parted, his expression was somewhere between pleasure and another emotion. It wasn’t until their lips met and the whispered words in his ears, that Kyungsoo knew they were now making love.

Kai was gentle with each powerful plunge, he kept their fingers laced, and their bodies close and spoke in a jumbled mixture of all three languages, angelic, demonic, and human. It appeared he was far away and yet so close at the same time. It was in the human language that he spoke his of heart’s feelings. It was soft, barely audible, but he said it nonetheless. “I love you.”

If it weren’t for the fact that Kyungsoo was so caught up in the feeling of Kai languidly thrusting into him, he would have frozen. He never responded to Kai and instead simply moaned his name over and over. He could feel himself tightening around Kai’s cock and turned away as he came in long streams of come between both of their bodies. Moments later the Kai climaxed as well. He placed a chaste kiss on Kyungsoo’s cheek before pulling him back into the water and cleaning him for the second time.

~*~

Kai sat in his room, feeling strange. He had a sinking feeling that something was astray. Kyungsoo had left nearly an hour ago and when he returned he simply handed him the scroll and returned to his chambers. The scroll told him nothing that he had not already suspected. Heaven was in full opposition of the war, but would not be holding back as they apparently were. Kai snorted at that. He knew that his forces outnumbered them and he also knew that his strategist, Luhan, was the best at mind games. He had no worries about the battle field, but he could not shake the feeling that something was amiss.

He entertained the idea that it was Baekhyun, who had not returned since he left a few days ago, but dismissed it. If Baekhyun was planning on betraying him, he would do so in Hell, not somewhere in the human realm. He would have the audacity to plan everything right under Kai’s nose, in plain sight. It was exactly what they did when Kai overthrew the previous Demon Lord.

He stood and paced his room. Perhaps he would pay him a visit in the human realm just to make sure. He hated that he was going to have to leave Kyungsoo in Hell, unprotected, but no one had to know that the Demon Lord was gone; he would make sure of that. He snapped his fingers and a servant entered his room. He quickly scribbled a message on the back of the scroll and gave it to the servant. “Give this to the angel.”

He waited until the servant left before he sealed off all the entrances to his room. No one would be able to get in, not even Kyungsoo if he used the tunnel between their rooms. He searched for his ring – it would disguise him in the human realm and closed his fingers around it. He waved his hand above him and the ceiling opened directly to the human realm. He unfurled his great, leathery wings and ascended. He thought about messing around a bit up there, but then he remembered that Kyungsoo would still be in Hell, and decided against it. He planned on being gone for only a few hours at most.


	5. Revelations

Baekhyun ‘woke up’ from his dream state. It was not quite sleep that he fell into, more of a decreased state of activity. His heart rate slowed and his breathing deepened, but he was never actually asleep. Sometimes he would fantasize in his head, but he never dreamed. It was in these states that he did his best thinking. Occasionally he would remain in such a state for days at a time, but seeing as the war was becoming more and more important, he could only afford to do so every now and then.

He had yet to contact Wufan, but he knew where he was living since he used his scrying mirror to find him earlier. He stared up at the cracked ceiling and took a deep breath before rolling off the bed. He needed to speak to Wufan if he wanted to start putting his plan in motion. And he figured that flying there would help him stretch his wings, which were quite cramped from being hidden so long.

It was still dark outside, and that gave him extra protection from detection from any angels were lurking around in the human realm. He had no worries of being seen by a human since they could not see him in his demonic form unless he wished them too. He glanced up at the inky sky and unfurled his wings. They were leathery like most demons and had the sharp bony protrusions often used in battle, but his were a deep red, like the color of human wine and looked almost glossy in the moonlight. He stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders a few times. He never realized just how uncomfortable keeping his wings retracted would make his body. He knew that in spirit form his wings were dormant, but that did not quite transfer when they were in physical form. He could feel the tendons and muscles cry out in stress as he continued to slowly unfurl them.

He scanned his surroundings once more before leaping into the air. The sudden giddy feeling that filled him with each powerful beat of his wings made him smile. There was no feeling in the world quite like flying and he wondered if he would ever find something that felt half as good as it. He looked down at the buildings as they grew sparse beneath him. He was headed to the thicket of trees several hundred miles north of the city.

When he arrived, he landed softly on the balls of his feet and tucked his wings tightly against his back. He was not ready to retract them just yet. He had just raised his hand to knock when the door swung open and he was greeted by the angry face of Wufan. “What do you need?” He hissed and closed the door behind him so that they were both standing outside on the front porch. He looked much smaller as a human.

“I need to know the ritual to change a human into a demon.” Baekhyun stated. He wanted to get right to the point since he only had a few more hours before dawn.

Wufan scratched his head. “There is no such thing.”                   

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean?”

“There is a reversal from demon to human, but not the other way around. You must have got your facts mixed up.” The blonde turned to go back inside. “I’m human by composition, but still demonic by spirit. It’s why I knew you were coming and why I can see you. And when I die, I will return to Hell. So, if you’re planning on changing yourself, that’s what you have to look forward to.” His face darkened at the thought, but he said nothing more before going back inside.

Baekhyun chewed on his lip. This was not what he had planned. Now he had to find another way to get Chanyeol into Hell. He supposed he could just take him there against his will, but that could be quite scarring for the human and could possibly turn him into one of the Mindless – demons with no mind to keep them sane; they were often locked up for their own protection. He spread his wings and took off, still lost in thought. 

Perhaps he could make Chanyeol do something so horrible that he would have no choice but to go to Hell. Then he would kill him and within a week he would see his soul wandering around in the dim comfort of his home. But that would not do. Humans who went to Hell eventually faded as their eternal torment wasted them away, and he did not want to make the guy suffer for no reason. Besides, Baekhyun wanted to keep him as a pet of some sort.

He returned to the back yard of the apartment complex and made his way up to his room. He figured another couple of hours in his sleep state would help him come up with a new approach.

~*~

It was the crack of dawn and Chanyeol had been up for nearly an hour pacing. He had a feeling that attempting to recruit the guy from yesterday would prove to be difficult and needed to start sending warriors up soon. He just did not know where to look. He paced for a few more minutes before deciding to head to the church across the street to ask for guidance.

When he entered the church, he made his way to the altar and fell to his knees in prayer. He asked for help and for the strength to do as he was told. He received his response in the form of a fervent desire to go to the local prison to recruit newly saved souls. He gave one final glance to the altar and bowed his head in thanks. He knew he could not converse with God directly, so he hoped this strong feeling was his guidance.

When he left the church, he realized that a few hours had passed based on the position of the sun and the brightness of the sky. He had no idea where the prison was, so he wandered around aimlessly until he found someone to ask where it was. She told him – after giving him a strange look – and he thanked her with a warm smile and wished them many blessings.

Chanyeol found it odd how different he acted in the human realm than in Heaven. Here he adhered closely to the rules of his mission, but in Heaven he was a bit of a goofball. He liked to cause mischief and bend the rules as much as he could. It was the reason why he remained a Guardian Angel for so long. Now that there was a possibility of him ascending in rank, he knew he had to get serious.

When he came across the prison, he felt his heart sink a little. The building was a large grey slab of cement, with tiny windows and barbed wire lining the top of the incredibly tall fences. He was greeted by a guard who raised his eyebrow at him, but ushered him to the information center without a word.

The man sitting at the desk had a bored look on his face as he tapped his pencil and stared at the screen in front of him. Without looking up he said, “Visiting hours are not open.”

Chanyeol frowned slightly and replied. “I’m only here to talk to those of faith.”

The man snorted. “Oh, you’re one of them. Whatever, go in.” He pressed a button on his keyboard and two armed officers escorted Chanyeol inside.

The walk was interesting to say the least. The prisoners all had hardened faces and glared at him as he passed. It was almost cinematic how they all froze when he entered, but as soon as he passed, they returned to whatever they had been doing as if he were nothing more than a momentary fixture in their lives. Chanyeol leaned down to whisper to one of the officers, but he held a hand up to stop him. “Wait until we’re out of earshot, I don’t want the prisoners getting any more suspicious than they already are.”

Chanyeol nodded his head and continued to let them escort him through the next set of doors into the cell block. Things got even more interesting in here. Catcalls were shouted and many insults were thrown Chanyeol’s way. He had known about the cruelty of human beings, but had yet to experience it fully. As he walked down the impossibly long aisle to the next set of doors, he could feel their hostile glares.

One man called out a particularly insulting comment and the officer on his right threatened the prisoner with solitary confinement. Strangely enough, no matter what the humans said, Chanyeol was not bothered personally by it. Instead he just felt a growing sense of sorrow over their condition and wondered why God was so adamant to keep them safe from Hell.

They finally made it through the final set of doors and entered a small room with various prisoners handcuffed and praying. Chanyeol widened his eyes at the sight but said nothing until the officers left. He waited until the door shut before he walked to the front of the small prayer room. “You are all that have faith in God?”

One of the prisoners looked up and nodded. He had a black eye and bruises were flowering along his jaw. Chanyeol winced at the sight and continued talking. “Are you interested in a chance of redemption?”

That made the rest of the prisoners look up at him in curiosity. They all shifted to get a better look at him and their chains rattled. The one with the black eye spoke, “What are you?”

Chanyeol blinked. He had not suspected the human to pick up on his otherworldliness so soon. He did not answer his question directly however. “I am a messenger of God and I bring with me an opportunity of a lifetime.” He began telling them the story of the prodigal son to allude to their life choices. Once he was finished, the prisoners seemed thoroughly enthralled. Then he told them what they could do to serve God in a heightened sense.

Of the twelve men that sat in the room, ten of them agreed, while two were not so sure. He gave them all the instructions nonetheless and then bid his goodbye. All they had to do was say a special prayer before they went to sleep that night and their souls would be taken to Heaven to join the forces, while their bodies were left to be taken care of by the other humans. He knew it would be risky, since it had been a long time since Heaven had to recruit like this, but it was time to put the inhabitants of Hell in their places.

He returned to his house and was about to head over to open the bakery when he heard a knock on his door. Wondering who it could possibly be, he walked over and called out, “Who is it?”

There was no reply, but he opened the door anyways to see the dark-haired guy from yesterday standing there with a bright smile on his face. “I would like to formally introduce myself. I’m Baekhyun and I live in the apartment building next door to you.”

Chanyeol stared at him. He had not been expecting him to show up at all. He took a moment to gather his jaw from the ground before he stepped aside for him to enter. “I’m sorry the place is a mess, I wasn’t expecting company.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “Oh, I don’t care about that.” He waved his hand. “And it’s my fault for showing up unexpected, but I did want to ask you something.”

Chanyeol watched him as he scanned his house. He found himself appreciating the elegance of Baekhyun’s long fingers as they crept up to his lips. He was a little on the short end, but then again Chanyeol liked being taller than everyone he knew. He continued to watch him until he realized that Baekhyun had said something. He felt the same heat from yesterday creep into his cheeks. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening.”

“I was wondering if we could get to know each other…” Baekhyun trailed off and kept his gaze trained on the ground. He seemed, different from yesterday – softer somehow.

Chanyeol could see the pink blush spread across his cheeks and could not help but smile warmly at him. He walked over to him and lifted his chin so he could look into his eyes. “I’d love to.” It was common in Heaven that angels touched each other, so when Baekhyun reacted so strongly to him, Chanyeol dropped his hand. He had forgotten that humans were not quite as comfortable with perfect strangers touching them.

The shock on Baekhyun face was genuine. His eyes widened and his entire body froze at the sudden contact. He visibly swallowed before stepping back out of Chanyeol reach and darted to the door. “I’ll wait for you outside.”

Chanyeol chuckled. Something about flustering that human made him feel energized. Yet, there was a feeling he could not quite place however. He shrugged his shoulders and chalked it up to the years he spent in Heaven. He still did not quite understand them the same way Suho did, or even Kyungsoo. Which he should have, being that he used to be a human at one point, yet he did not have any memories of his human existence like the other recruited angels. He figured that was because he had been an angel for quite some time. 

~*~

Baekhyun gaped at the ground. The shock of electricity that coursed through him when Chanyeol touched him had surprised him. No one had ever done that to him before, let alone a human. He briefly wondered if this was why Wufan had fallen for his human, but shook the thought from his head. The only other reason he would have felt that shock was if Chanyeol had been an angel, but that was such an outlandish idea and Baekhyun chuckled. Chanyeol was so boringly mundane that it would be an insult to Heaven to consider him one. Yet, the possibility tickled the back of his mind, planting a seed of doubt.

He absentmindedly played with the star shaped ring he wore instead of the larger hand adornment. It was less flashy and conspicuous so he did not have to worry about it drawing unnecessary attention while he was out with Chanyeol. He had planned on seducing him by the end of the night, but now he was unsure. He wanted to test the waters first, just to make sure he was only human. Then he would go after him with everything he had.

By the time Chanyeol opened the door; he had complete control of himself and gave him a cheery smile. “Ready?” He hated acting so saccharine around the human, but it seemed to be the best way to charm him.

Chanyeol nodded. “Where are we going?” He locked his door.

Baekhyun paused to think and then offered, “There’s a park nearby that we can walk through.” _Too safe._ He glanced over at Chanyeol and then added, “Or we could visit the ice cream shop a few blocks away…”

Chanyeol seemed to consider the options before shrugging his shoulders, “How about we get some icecream?”

Baekhyun grinned. “I was hoping you’d say that.” So far, so good. Things were starting to fall right into his plan. He only had a minor blip at the beginning. Baekhyun nodded to himself and then led the way. He figured once they made it to the ice cream shop he would put stage two of his plan into action. For now, he simply made small talk. “So where are you from?”

Chanyeol answered him almost too quickly. “Around. And you?” He continued to follow Baekhyun as he turned left down an empty street.

Baekhyun kept his expression neutral. Chanyeol was being cautious, maybe he had something to hide? But, Baekhyun could not let himself dwell on that, so he chirped, “I’m from a small town south of here. Moved to the city to follow my dreams.” Fabricating his background was easy for Baekhyun. He knew all the basic tropes to pull out to garner interest and sympathy from humans.

Chanyeol raised an eyebrow, already interested, “Oh, what dreams?” He had his hands in his coat pockets and gently bumped into Baekhyun as they walked.

Electricity buzzed in Baekhyun's ears at more contact from Chanyeol. Maybe they shared the same bond as Wufan and his human after all. Baekhyun smirked. Chanyeol was buying his fake story so far. “I wanted to be an actor, but no one comes to small towns so I figured I’d have better luck here.”

Chanyeol smiled at him. “Are you any good?” His expression was open as he gazed down at Baekhyun.

The demon carefully composed his face into a hurt expression. “Yeah…I had to act from an early age.” Chanyeol had taken the bait, now all he had to do was reel him in.

“What do you mean?” Chanyeol's eyebrows furrowed. He pursed his lips as he stared at Baekhyun.

Baekhyun fought the urge to giggle. This was too easy. Humans were too gullible. “I didn’t have the best childhood.” He then went into a long-detailed recount of how he was abused as a child and that his parents did not want him so he went from foster home to foster home. He increased the dramatics when he started crying over how one of his foster parents used to lock him in a closet all day if he forgot to pray when he woke up or did not do his chores. He told Chanyeol how everyday he had to act like everything was okay at school, and that no one even suspected anything was wrong.

When he finished, he mentally patted himself on the back because Chanyeol was now wiping tears away from his own eyes. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea…” He shook his head and sniffled. “I can’t believe all that happened to you. You must be so strong.”

Baekhyun nodded, making sure to hiccup as he wiped his faux tears away. He supposed that if he had been born human, acting would have been his job of choice. Clearly, he could get anyone to believe him and he did not even have to charm Chanyeol. “I try to be.”

“Good.” Chanyeol pulled him into a hug and whispered. “Don’t worry, everything will turn out okay.” His voice was heavy with emotion.

Baekhyun froze again as a charge went through him. He buried his nose ddep in Chanyeol's chest, momentarily forgetting that he had only been acting. He felt comfortable in his arms – something he had not felt in a long time. He glanced up at Chanyeol as bit his lip. The human had one of the most innocent, yet concerned expression on his face. He looked…pure. Baekhyun pulled out of the hug and stepped back a few steps. Something was very different about this human.

~*~

They arrived at the ice cream parlor a short while later. It was nearly empty so Chanyeol took a seat near the window while he waited for Baekhyun to return with their orders. He had never had ice cream before as he had been an angel before human discovered how to make it. He tried to think back to his human existence and drew a blank. All he could remember was opening his eyes and already being in Heaven. Maybe he had been an angel too long to remember it.

He was shaken from his thoughts when Baekhyun set down their bowls and gave him a small smile. Chanyeol wanted to get right to the point. He wanted to recruit Baekhyun now more than ever, especially since he had had such a sad upbringing. So, after he took a bite, he asked, “Do you believe in God?” Everything rode on this question. It would determine whether he could save Baekhyun.

Baekhyun’s whole persona changed. He went languidly lapping at the ice cream on his spoon, to stabbing at it in the bowl. “Yes.”

Chanyeol winced. The venom in the way Baekhyun replied surprised him. “You don’t seem so happy about that.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “I’m not. After all, he has let all this terrible shit happen to me.”

Chanyeol frowned. Baekhyun had done a complete one-eighty from earlier. He was no longer the vulnerable young man with a horrible childhood. He was now a cynical person with spite in his heart. He guessed he could understand where Baekhyun was coming from, but it still bothered him to hear him outright blame God for his life. Especially since God worked in mysterious ways and had a plan for Baekhyun. One that Chanyeol was to take part in bringing to fruition. He opened his mouth to respond, but Baekhyun held up a hand to silence him.

“Don’t give me that “God works in mysterious ways’ bullshit, either. I’m highly aware of the fact that he could honestly care less for me.” Baekhyun's face looked positively enraged. His nostrils were flared and he pressed his lips into a tight line.

Chanyeol winced again. Perhaps Baekhyun’s case was worse than he thought. “Then why do you still believe in him?”

“Because I need someone to blame.” Baekhyun deadpanned and then crossed his arms.

Chanyeol frowned. He was not sure how to change Baekhyun’s way of thinking. He knew that living an entire life so jaded would be hard to reverse. But he wanted to help him so badly. He wanted him to see all the good that God does for the humans. If he only knew about the war and all the work that was put into it to save his kind.

Chanyeol leaned back in his chair, completely forgetting about the melted ice cream, and fell into deep thought. There had to be something he could do. He just needed to come up with something quickly, before he had to return to Heaven.

Baekhyun finished the rest of his ice cream and stood. “Don’t let my views bother you. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember.” He picked up both of their bowls and tossed them in the trash can.

Chanyeol watched him and sighed. He did not want to part from him in such a bad way. “Do you want to um,” he paused, he could not think of what he wanted to do. He really wanted to talk to him more, but he felt far too forward to invite him to stay the night at his place.

Baekhyun grinned sweetly, “Come by my place later on, and we can finish our conversation.” He then left.

Chanyeol nodded and remained seated in his chair for a moment longer. He had to figure out some way to save Baekhyun.

~*~

Baekhyun walked back to his apartment in high spirits. He had taken control of the situation in the ice cream shop and felt pleased with himself. Now he had Chanyeol feeling bad about him and he could use that to seduce him. He could already see how it would happen. Plus, he figured it was only fair that he could indulge every now and then since Kai was down in Hell screwing the brains out of that angel. Speaking of Kai, Baekhyun decided that once he returned to his room, he would check up on him. 

He was grateful that the sun was finally setting as it made it easier for him to see. He missed the dim lighting of Hell and could not wait for the angel to leave so that he could go back. He knew it was petty of him to not want to breathe the same air as him, but his hatred for angels ran so deep that he could not help himself. He supposed it was in his nature to hate them, being that he was a demon.

He took off the ring the moment he stepped inside and stretched his wings. He wondered if after Chanyeol showed up, he could go for another fly. He did not think he could keep his wings retracted for too much longer.

He pulled out his scrying mirror and commanded it to find Kai. What he saw made him feel a little strange because he could have sworn that Kai was in Hell and not in the human realm. He figured that Kai had some type of business that he was attending to, and the fact that he was not with the angel made Baekhyun feel less contempt for him. He watched him fly for a few moments before looking back to the bed and taking a seat.

Baekhyun furrowed his brows as Kai flew over a familiar building. He could not fight the feeling of déjà vu he was experiencing and when Kai walked into a room with a man wearing a black leather jacket he had the strange feeling someone was watching him.

“Hello Baekhyun.” Kai’s voice nearly made Baekhyun jump out of his skin, but he kept his expression placid.

“My lord.” Baekhyun muttered. “What brings you here?”

“You.” Kai crossed his arms. He was dressed in an inconspicuous suit. Most demons when they visited the human realm tended to dress fashionably.            

Baekhyun raised his eyebrow. “Tired of your angelic sex toy already?”

Kai’s expression darkened. “You should not be involved in my private affairs.”

“Does he whimper at your every touch, like the way you used to? Do goosebumps rise on his skin after you taste it? Are his wanton moans music to your demonic ears? If I recall correctly, your moans were utterly delicious.” Baekhyun paused and then added. “My lord.” He knew he was being petty, but the Demon Lord deserved it. Besides, part of him was hurt that Kai no longer ached for him.

“What are you getting at?” A muscle twitched in the Demon Lord’s jaw. His eyes flashed and he took a deep breath to calm himself.

Baekhyun only smiled. He liked getting under Kai’s skin. It was almost as fun as just being under him in bed. He flicked his tongue out at Kai playfully.

Kai glared at him unamused. “Why are you here? Are you plotting against me?”

Baekhyun smirked. Kai was avoiding the topic, which meant that Baekhyun hit a nerve somewhere. “I’m always plotting against you, _my lord_. After all I am a demon and you’ve gotten boring lately. Maybe it’s time for a new Demon Lord?” He liked watching Kai get angry. It made him dangerous and Baekhyun liked danger. It exhilarated him in ways that he could barely explain to himself.

Kai scowled at him. “You should watch what you say. I am your Lord and I can give you orders that you must obey. I will ask you one more time, are you plotting to kill me?”

“No, not as of now.” Baekhyun sneered. He hated it when Kai reminded him of his status. It made him want to hurt him and not in the fun way.

Kai pursed his lips. “Then what are you doing in the human realm?”

“Having some fun. You know, like what we used to do.” He paused and thought of the angel. “And I refuse to be in Hell while that _angel_ is there.”

“He’s there as part of a business deal.” Kai stated. He was clearly bristling and getting more and more defensive. 

Baekhyun enjoyed pushing his buttons. “Oh, so we do business with Heaven now? What ever happened to ‘Screw Heaven and all its inhabitants’? Or did you mean that in a literal sense?” Baekhyun pushed himself to his feet and circled Kai.

The Demon Lord narrowed his eyes. “I am not above punishing you for disrespect. I don’t care if we were once friends, you will respect my authority.”

Baekhyun clenched his fists; he could feel a vein in his neck throbbing. “How can I respect someone who is _literally fucking the enemy?_! Don’t you know how disgusting that is? What is it that is so appealing about angels? Is it corrupting them? Because that I can get behind, but this angel still has his feathers. So what the Hell are you doing?”

Kai shook his head. “My motives are for me to know and for you to not question. This is why I should have had that mirror confiscated. You see things and make assumptions before you even know the whole story.”

Baekhyun gritted his teeth. He could not believe that Kai was defending the angel. They were supposed to be on the same side. "It doesn’t take a scrying mirror to figure out that you and that angel are involved in more than just business deal!” He pushed Kai against the wall and continued. “I am not stupid, I can see what’s going on, everyone can see what’s going on and it’s _disgusting!_ Do you think that we’re just going to sit around while you get your rocks off? There’s already at least ten plans to kill you now.” Baekhyun was seething. How could Kai not see how he was not only endangering himself, but also the wellbeing of Hell. They could not afford a civil war right now.

“Why do you even care?! This has nothing to do with you. Like I said, these are private matters that I must take care of and I refuse to discuss them with you.” Kai pushed Baekhyun back and pointed a finger in his face. “And don’t you _ever_ touch me again!”

“That’s not what you said a week ago. You were begging me to touch you while I fucked your brains out.” Baekhyun sneered. He was definitely hurt that Kai had moved on so quickly. Even though they had not been serious since he ascended the throne, Baekhyun had liked the arrangement they had.

Kai punched Baekhyun in the jaw. “Why are you even bringing that up?” He was breathing heavy and his eyes were almost completely blacked out, iris and all. He was beyond angry and Baekhyun knew he crossed the line. Yet, he could not blame himself for saying what he did, Kai was endangering them all with this relationship.

Baekhyun saw red.  He could not believe that he thought Kai was a good fit for the throne. “We are in the middle of a war dammit! What is your problem? Honestly, I wouldn’t care if the war wasn’t going on, but seriously, there are more important matters at hand!”

“My private life is my business and I am not about to be talked down to by the likes of you!” he turned as if he was about to leave and then added. “Admit it, you’re just jealous.”

Baekhyun blinked. Yeah, he was jealous, but only because he missed the old Kai. The Kai that would cause chaos and wreak havoc on humans. The Kai that looked at him like he was a god. “And so what if I am?”

“I knew it. You were jealous the moment I ascended to the throne. Which makes no sense since you were the one that made me kill the previous Demon Lord.” Kai smirked.

Baekhyun exploded on him. “You don’t even deserve to be called the _Demon Lord!_ You’re not even a real demon! You have no right to lead us. None!” He was shaking with barely controlled anger. It was true that he pushed Kai to ascend the throne, but he thought he would be more like a puppet and that he would accept his council, not Luhan’s. He thought that maybe they could rule Hell together.

Kai scoffed. “I never should have listened to you.”

“At least I’m not screwing an angel! Once everyone finds out you’re done for.” Baekhyun was trying everything he could not to lash out with his power. It begged him to release it, coaxing him with its seductive whisper.

“You don’t get it, do you?” Kai laughed. His eyes held knowledge that Baekhyun was not privy to and it only made him angrier.

“Don’t patronize me.” Baekhyun glared. He could not tell if Kai was bluffing or just trying to rile his feathers.

“There’s only one demon cares about what I do in the privacy of my room.” Kai sneered. “And frankly, it’s pathetic.” He nodded to the window. “Besides, you’re living across from a church.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Baekhyun spat.

Kai shook his head and smiled. “You’ll find out.” He then began descending through the floor. “Oh, and tell Chanyeol I said hi, I’m sure he’ll remember me.”

Baekhyun gaped at Kai. What the hell was that supposed to mean? What did Kai know about Chanyeol? _How_ did Kai know about Chanyeol? Unless he was spying on him somehow, which he doubted.

He stood up and opened the door to check the hallway. There was no one out there. He sat down on his bed and realized that he was not wearing the ring so that meant that no one could have heard anything that just happened unless they were either an angel or a demon. He left out a sigh of relief and flopped backwards. His entire body felt tense and he wanted to rip something apart, that something being Kai, but he knew he needed to bide his time.

~*~

Chanyeol slowly backed away from Baekhyun’s door, eyes wide and his hands trembling. Everything made sense. Everything made so much sense. He could not believe he had eaten ice cream with a demon, let alone been fooled by one. His eyes widened even more when he realized he had touched a demon. But neither of those was worse than the sympathy he felt for him. Of course, that meant that the story about his childhood was a lie, but that was not what bothered Chanyeol the most. What bothered him were the feelings he knew he should not be developing for him.

He had made it fully around the corner before he paused and bit his lip. If he could not recruit the demon, then maybe he could find a way to redeem him. After all, if Kyungsoo was currently in Hell surrounded with demons, then he could handle one on his own. He nodded his head and made his decision. He would try his best to find a way to bring Baekhyun to the light as well as follow through with his orders.

What if he was being tested? What if instead of helping the demon, he was supposed to kill him? He had no idea what to do. He took a few steps back and looked down the hall at Baekhyun’s door. Maybe he was only a lesser demon, after all how could someone as adorable as him be too evil? Chanyeol wavered. He wanted to go and knock on his door and confront him, but he also wanted to make sure he was doing the right thing. He turned on his heel and hoped that Baekhyun would understand if he showed up a few hours late. He had business he needed to attend to.

Once he was outside, he pulled off the ring and tucked it into a pocket on his shirt. He unfurled his wings and gave them a mighty shake before leaping into the sky. He needed to get direct assistance on the matter before he made another move.


	6. Still Waters Run Deep

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Angel by Massive Attack is the theme for this chapter if you'd like some listening material.

Kyungsoo looked up as one of Kai’s servants entered the room carrying a scroll of darkness. He nodded to it in thanks and unrolled scroll. He let the message fall from his fingers and flopped onto his stomach and groaned. Apparently, Kai was headed to the human realm and he had been ordered to stay put in his room.

He rolled over and stared up at the stalactites. He wondered if he could sneak out and head back to Heaven for an alternative to his alternative for his chance of redemption. He did not think that killing should be a way to return to Heaven, and would do anything to get out of it. And he knew he was lying to himself if he said he did not love Kai. Just the thought of being the one to end his existence sickened him.

Even though his room was incredibly hot, he felt he was getting used to it. His eyes had already adjusted to the darkness, so he figured his internal temperature would follow suit eventually. Or perhaps it was all in his mind. He sat up, the purple tunic still clinging to his slightly damp skin, and stared at the stone floor. He supposed the dryness of the air was the only thing that kept him from being too uncomfortable. If it were humid on top of the blistering heat, he would be miserable.

He kicked his feet up in front of him and wiggled his toes. He was bored and had only been given the order to remain in his room a few minutes ago. His mind went back to Heaven and he sighed again. He had just returned an hour ago and it had been even worse than the time before. This time everyone was milling about when he landed and the collective gasp that he received made him want to crawl into a hole and die.

Everyone had backed up and shied away from his gaze. He had never felt so unwanted in his entire life. Some angels even went so far as to pour holy water on the ground after he walked. If he thought the ostracization in Hell was bad, it was worse in Heaven. He wanted to leave as quickly as he could, and as soon as he received the response he left. He did not even bring his eyes up to meet any of the other angels’ gazes; he simply leapt off and dove down once more to a place that was beginning to feel more like home than the one he was from.

He moped around for a while longer before deciding that he would entertain himself. He had learned about the composition of Hell, but he never had the opportunity to see all of it with his own eyes. Plus, he remembered seeing the Fallen angels his first day in Hell and wanted to gather information from them. With that in mind, he peeked his head out into the corridor, before he scurried past the servants guarding Kai’s room.

Once he made it safely out of Kai’s personal domain, he squared his shoulders and walked with purpose. He figured that if he made himself look like he knew what he was doing, then none of the demons would bother him. It proved to be rather true as most just gave him a curious glanced before continuing their activities.

His first order of business was to talk to the Fallen Angels. He was not sure where to look for them first, so he headed to the place he saw them the day before. He hoped they could give him insight on why angels fell. The only angel he ever saw fall was Kai, and he knew his reasons. He was curious as to what drove the others to take the path less travelled.

He found them relaxing by one of the hot springs and made his way over there. They all gave him a cautious look as he approached. He noticed that their wings were all completely leathery like Kai’s but they were varying shades of gray and blue instead of the deep purple that Kai’s were. They lacked the boney spikes, or maybe they just had theirs hidden. He wondered if it was reflective of their ranks before they fell, but that was not what he came to ask them.

The one with the lightest colored wings spoke, “What brings you here, angel?” His wings were almost translucent and Kyungsoo could see the veins that spidered through them.

Kyungsoo wet his lips and cleared his throat. Even though the angel was Fallen, he still commanded himself with the power of the upper ranks. “I came here to find out what causes angels to fall.”

They all began whispering amongst themselves which made Kyungsoo rather uncomfortable. He waited until the one who spoke before cleared his throat. “Do they no longer teach angels of the Fallen?”

Kyungsoo furrowed his brows. The Fallen were mentioned, but the reasons for why they were kicked out were never disclosed in any of the debriefings he received since ascending to Virtue. It never really struck him as odd, until now. “We learn of your kind and that is it.”

The lighter winged Fallen Angel snorted. “Then I must be the one to educate you.”

Kyungsoo nodded and waited for him to start speaking again. He could feel his mind kicking into high gear as the Fallen Angel gave him a brief recap of his life as a proper angel. It turned out that he was at the Cherubim rank when he fell. That was not the only surprising fact that he learned. He found out that like himself, the Ex-Cherubim was given an un-Heavenly ultimatum. Not only him, but the others as well had received similar ones. The only difference was that they all went through with them and returned to Heaven as if nothing had happened.

They were accepted back with open arms and served for a few more millennia before they slowly began falling. Apparently, once they had finished their duty, they could not figure out how to go back to their repressed ways. When they were in Hell they all had experienced what it was like to actually feel emotions and returning to Heaven dulled them. It was the curiosity and longing to feel again that caused them to fall. Not only that, but there were also the Forsaken.

The Fallen Angels did not tell him much about the Forsaken, just that they were of Seraphim rank and were natural born angels. They had fallen disgracefully as well, forsaking God’s will and killing humans and angels alike in some type of blind rage. Kyungsoo wondered why no one spoke of them in Heaven, but the Fallen Angels simply told him that the Forsaken were some of Heaven’s biggest regrets, so they hid them from history.

Kyungsoo walked away disturbed. He had two choices: kill Kai and return to Heaven and be miserable, or remain in Hell and become one of the Fallen. He did not want to do either. He simply wanted to be free from both sides. The constant tugging was wearing him thin and he was in a never-ending state of indecision and he hated it.

He entered his room and paced for a while, trying to gather his thoughts. If the other angels had fallen because they knew what it was like to feel, then what was stopping him from joining them? He was dabbling in emotions long before Kai was Jongin and while he was quite adept at suppressing them in Heaven, he had to admit that things were more intense now. It was as if every little thing he did, affected him. He simply could not ignore it any longer.

He glanced over at the hidden door and wondered if he could snoop around in Kai’s room since he was gone. He was not sure what he wanted to find, but he figured that it would pass the time. He walked over and pressed the indentation and walked into the darkness. His eyes adjusted almost instantly and he easily found his way to the entrance to Kai’s room.

When he pressed the indentation, nothing happened. So, he tried a few more times before heading back to the way he came in, only to find that it had shut. He turned around and sighed. He would have to wait for Kai to return before he got out of the passage.

~*~

Kai was still seething. He could not believe that Baekhyun had spoken to him like that. They were supposed to be friends – or well they used to be. Besides, how dare he insult him and talk to him like that? He was the Demon Lord and it was time he demanded the respect he deserved. He continued his slow descent through the earth. There was something relaxing about staring at the different layers of soils and rocks as he passed through them.

He landed softly in the center of a large library and looked around to see if he was alone before pulling back the thin curtain to his private study. He scanned the shelf and then pulled a large leather-bound book down. He made his way over to the ledge and placed the book on top of it and flipped it open. He wanted to look up some of the previous battles fought by previous Demon Lords to see just where he stood in terms of leading a battle. Heaven and Hell had been fighting for a _long_ time.

He knew he had to go check on Kyungsoo, but he figured he was still moping and would be okay for a few hours while he sped read through the recollections. The first entry he came across was from the very first fallen angel to have ever existed, Lucifer – he was the first demonic spirit to enter Hell, thus nullifying the angelic limits placed on him by God. It turned out he was also the longest reigning Demon Lord to have existed as well – as he created the demons and they had an undying loyalty to him. He ended up relinquishing his throne to the second Demon Lord because he grew bored of being all-powerful. But, Kai was intrigued because he was only the second Fallen angel to be on the throne, and almost felt some sort of kinship with the first Demon Lord.

He spent the next few hours reading until his eyes began to hurt and then decided it was best to check on Kyungsoo. In their time apart, he had not realized just how much he missed seeing him. As he flew, he thought about coming up with an excuse to call him to his room. Perhaps he would ask him to give him a massage or something. Of course, he could just call him in for another romp in the sheets, but he did not want the angel to think that was all he was here for.

He landed outside of his door and strolled in. “Kyungsoo, I have returned.” He called out and then froze. The angel was nowhere in sight. He felt his heart drop to his stomach and a cold sweat ran down his back.

Someone could have captured him while he was gone. He knew he should have increased the security outside his room. He could not believe just how far some demons would go. He quickly scanned the room once more and then stormed out. He unfurled his wings almost violently and began searching frantically for him. He had to be somewhere. There was no way the angel could have disappeared so easily.

He was filled with the same sorrow he felt when he was casted out from Heaven and the fear of never seeing Kyungsoo again compounded. Each beat of his wings made him more and more nervous. He had to find him before it was too late. There was no telling what another demon might do to him, especially because he meant something to Kai. It made him that much more of a target, because everyone was trying to find some way to dethrone him. 

He could feel the dread in the pit of his stomach as each place he checked turned up null. He had no idea who would have taken him. The thought made his insides curdle.

~*~

Kyungsoo had spent only about half an hour locked in the dark passage before he heard a soft hissing sound. He pushed himself to his feet and pressed the indentation and stepped back as the doorway rolled open. He guessed that the passage could only be used when Kai was present, so that must have meant that he had returned.

He smiled slightly to himself at the thought of showing up in Kai’s room unexpected and wondered if he would be happy to see him. When he entered, however, the room was empty and untouched. Kyungsoo pursed his lips and sighed. Part of him had been looking forward to seeing Kai and he only realized that when he did not see him.

He put his hands on his hips and scanned the room once more. Since Kai was not there, he figured he would continue with his original plan of snooping. He spotted a box half hidden on a shelf and was drawn to it. Within seconds he was seated on the floor, prying the lid off. Inside there were letters, dozens of them, written in both demonic and angelic languages. They were tightly bound and dated in chronological order.

Kyungsoo removed the first bundle and untied the silk lace that kept them together. When he read the first line he felt a lump form in his throat. He recognized the handwriting. It was Suho’s. He placed the letter on the ground and opened another one, it was the same writing, but a different message. It spoke of a previous meeting.

Kyungsoo could not believe his eyes. He had just stumbled upon love letters from Suho to the previous Demon Lord. He knew it was not Kai, because they were dated long before he even existed, before they both existed. His hand trembled and his vision blurred as he finished the first bundle and went on to the next. Suho had been having relations with the previous Demon Lord for millennia. There were so many things wrong with this. How could the next in line to be a Seraphim, have such a mottled past? His mind reeled and he was so caught up in his thoughts he did not hear Kai approaching.

“What are you doing?” His voice was thick with emotion and yet soft at the same time.

Kyungsoo turned around slowly, the letter fluttered to the floor. “I was, um…”

Kai walked over and knelt by him. “Oh, you found them.” He snorted. “Heaven isn’t as pure as they make it out to be, is it?” His expression was neutral, but his eyes held so many emotions in them.

Kyungsoo felt his heart drop. He knew what Kai was alluding to, because he made the same realization the moment he laid eyes on him. Why was Suho allowed to love, when he and Kai were forbidden? How was that even remotely fair? Not to mention that Suho was supposed to be promoted and he still had this dark secret lingering over him like a sinister cloud. Of course, God knew, but why would he want someone so close to the ultimate rival at his side? It did not make any sense.

Kai started gathering the letters. “Not everyone is perfect. And while he is an angel, he is as far from pure as you are.” Kai paused and then added, "It’s a wonder he survives up there at all.”

“What are you talking about?” Kyungsoo mumbled as he helped Kai re-bundle the letters and place them in the box. His hands were still trembling.

“I know more about the so called pure than you think.” Kai shut the box firmly and returned it to its place. “That day I was thrown out was planned.”

Kyungsoo narrowed his eyes. “You’re lying.” There was no way that Kai’s exile had been planned. No one knew about what they were doing aside from God and if it was planned then that meant that God himself had orchestrated it and that was completely absurd. There had to be another explanation.

“I’m not. And no, God did not plan it, but he certainly did not stop it either. Angels, demons, we’re all secondary to him. Our wellbeing is the least of his worries. This war,” he gestured, “is just to keep us all occupied.” He stood and held out a hand for Kyungsoo. “Come, angel, I’ll show you the texts to give you validation.”

Kyungsoo hesitated for a moment. Too much was happening. Too much was at stake. If he killed Kai in the end, then whose will was he satisfying? Now that he thought about it, he did not receive the scroll from a Cherubim, so that meant anyone could have given it to him. He closed his eyes, now there was a possibility that he would either be defying God, by not following orders, or doing the bidding of someone who should not be giving out instructions. No matter how he looked at it, it seemed that he did not have a choice but to become Fallen.

He chewed his lip as he stood slowly. He knew he would surely go crazy if it turned out that the order to kill Kai had been false, and yet, he had no evidence that Kai was even telling the truth. Sure, the letters brought some doubts to his mind, but they still had not altered his way of thinking completely. Perhaps seeing the records of the war from the other side would clarify his muddled thoughts.

The walk to the library was tense. Demons of all shapes and sizes openly glared at Kyungsoo as they walked. He was obviously not wanted here and while he had not objected to Kai’s request that he keep his wings exposed, he wished he had. Although the looks Kai received were no better. It seemed there was a general air of hatred to anyone who was not a purebred demon.

As they neared the library, the smell of sulfur lessened to the point where it was almost pleasant. However, the heat had increased substantially, and by the time they had walked into the area, Kyungsoo’s tunic was soaked. “Why is it so hot?”

Kai glanced at him. “We’ve been descending if you haven’t noticed and the lower we go, the closer we get to the fiery pits.” He pushed a thin gauzy curtain aside and ushered Kyungsoo in.

The angel fluttered his wings to cool himself off. “Who exactly is down there?” he looked around at all the thick leather-bound books. Some of the spines were dried and cracked. It seemed the heat was slowly destroying them. In a way that made Kyungsoo sad.

“Other than the Forsaken, no one. It’s way too hot for any of us.” He tapped his chin with his index finger, “Well sometimes we send other demons down there as punishment.” He walked over to a small stone ledge and flipped through an already open book. “But there are not really any rules here, so anyone can do what they want.”

Kyungsoo chewed on his lip again. It turned out that he knew less about the interworking of Hell than he thought he did. In Heaven, they were told that the Demon Lord often lived in the fiery pits and that only the most powerful could visit. But, he could see that it was not true. He wondered what else Heaven had been misinforming them on. After all, God never left Heaven directly and he most certainly knew everything, so why was it that all the angels were being taught wrong? Unless, once again, there was someone else at the head purposefully, misinforming them.

Kyungsoo rubbed his temples. There were too many doubts cascading around in his head and doubting God was the first step to disobeying his will. Then again, he was still not sure who had sent him back to Hell in the first place. Everything was entirely too complicated and his mind could hardly take it.

“Are you okay?” Kai’s voice pulled Kyungsoo from the depths of his thoughts.

“Yeah, just a lot to take in.” Kyungsoo continued to rub his temples. He knew it had to be a combination of the heat and all the information he had learned in the short span of a few hours. He felt like he was going into overload and it was beginning to give him a migraine.

Kai bit his lip. “We can hold off on reading these texts if you want?”

Kyungsoo shook his head and then immediately regretted doing so. It was pounding and he was beginning to feel weak in the knees. “No, I want to see how things were described from this side.” He braced a sweaty palm on the wall as he made his way over to Kai. “I’ve read all the Heavenly records on the war, and I know how we think.”

Kai studied his face. “You still consider yourself one of them?” His overall expression was unreadable, but once again his eyes gave away his true feelings and he looked suspicious.

Kyungsoo blinked and stopped himself from shaking his head again. “Oh, my mistake, I guess I’m so used to saying ‘we’ in regard to them.” He refused to meet his eyes as he said this. He was not sure whose side he truly fell on and with everything that was happening he was even more on the fence about the whole thing. He had spent way too long viewing and being taught that Hell was the enemy to join them so quickly, and Heaven had been his home for so long. However, he knew deep down that when it came time for the war, he would be looking at Kai from across the battlefield.

He looked up to find Kai still staring at him. He looked skeptical but he sighed and turned to the book. "It’s written in the _ancient language_ , so there are a few words that are not easily translated, but I’m positive that they are not important. I will warn you, that it gave me a slight headache because the handwriting is so small and cramped, but it you can get past that, it’s a straightforward read.”

Kyungsoo peered over at the pages and the words swam before his eyes. “I can’t read that.” His head was pounding even more and his breathing was becoming labored.

Kai stepped to the side and pulled Kyungsoo directly in front of it. Kyungsoo could feel him watching him as he scanned the page, but the words kept dancing. Kai frowned, “Perhaps only the Fallen can read these. I was aware of a charm that was placed on the book, but it did not affect me.”

Kyungsoo turned away from the book and looked at him. The words were still swirling in his vision. “What’s happening to me?” He was starting to feel dizzy and nauseous. He swayed on his feet and his wings shot out to balance him. He tried blinking multiple times to clear the cramped print, but it was becoming harder and harder to open his eyes each time. He struggled to look at Kai. The room was spinning.

Kai grabbed him and pushed him to the ground. “Close your eyes and repeat after me. I am going to fight the charm.” He spoke clearly and slowly, but Kyungsoo could not hear him. The moment his eyes closed, it was as if he was in someone else’s body.

~*~

It was cold and impossibly bright. He squinted his eyes to guard them from the harshness of the light. The wind bit into his skin despite the heavy armor he was wearing. He could feel a dull ache in his right arm and glanced down at the weapon he held. The blade was dripping the shimmery blood of angels and the helm was swirling with black fog. The ache in his arm increased when he tried to move it and it took him a while to realize that he was injured.

Cries of the slain echoed in the background and catapulted fireballs roared overhead. He felt spindly fingers wrap around his ankle and he tugged his foot away without looking back. He transferred the sword to his other hand and surveyed the area once more. There was no one around beside him and that dying angel. He stiffened his shoulders and continued his trek.

The elements were relentless and the wind picked up to impossible speeds. He briefly wondered why they chose the mountains for a battlefield, but he knew why. With the snow, it was easy to hide the signs of war, and the brightness would be a disadvantage to those from Hell. If he had a choice, he would have made the battlefield in the pits of Hell. However, he did not complain as it was not what Demon Lords did. They were supposed to take what was thrown at them and give it back tenfold. With that, he continued to march on. He tried to extend his wings, but that only caused him more pain.

By the time he reached the summit, his legs were protesting in pain and the dull throb in his shoulder became nearly unbearable. He scanned the area and sighed. He was alone for the time being and he decided that taking a moment to rest was a promising idea.

“Why didn’t you fly?” The voice was both pleasing and startling to hear.

He spun around, “Suho?” His heart was racing and he could not tell where the voice came from. He was not sure if it was a figment of his imagination and there was a high probability that it was due to his blood loss. He squinted again and searched the area, but his vision was nearly useless. He heard a sound from above and looked up.

“You’re hurt.” Suho said as he landed gracefully. The concern in his face mirrored the concern in his tone. His golden armor reflected the sunlight into the Demon Lord’s eyes.

"It’s a shallow wound. Nothing that won’t heal itself.” He shied away from Suho’s touch and stared into his eyes. “I can’t be here long.”

“I know.” Suho frowned and let his hand fall to his side. “Let me at least fix you up before you go.”

The Demon Lord followed him inside a small cavern hidden from plain view. It was substantially warmer and darker and his tired body welcomed it. He let the angel remove his armor and hissed when the chainmail pulled away the crusted blood.

“You ought to be more careful.” Suho whispered as he removed a container from his armor and untwisted the lid. It was filled with a dark salve that had a strong spicy scent.

“I should say the same to you. You know that salve burns your skin.” The Demon Lord replied as he watched Suho scrunch his face when he dipped his fingers in. His angel always was so delicate selfless.

"It’s nothing. It doesn’t even hurt that much anymore.” He lied and his fingers were trembling slightly as he applied the mixture to the wound. “Besides, I’m doing this because I love you.” He smiled that dazzling smile that won the Demon Lord over so long ago.

“I know. And I’m only concerned because I love you.” He could feel his heart clench at the mention of the word. He never thought things would end up this way. He grabbed Suho’s wrist and wiped the salve off his fingers, which were now blistered. He brought them to his lips and kissed them. “Thank you.” He looked up to his darling angel and then stood. “I must return, before they miss me.”

Suho clutched his blistered hand to his chest. “Just stay for a few moments longer?”

The Demon smiled sadly and shook his head. He began putting his dark armor back on. Now that his shoulder was healing, he could feel his strength returning. He glanced to his angel and walked over to him. He gave him a quick chaste peck on the lips and then unfurled his wings. “Remember that I love you.” He leapt into the air and did not look back, for if he did, he knew he would fall deep into those angelic eyes all over again.

~*~

The cave melted away and Kyungsoo found himself sobbing in Kai’s arms. When he realized where he was, he narrowed his eyes and pushed Kai away. “Why did you kill him?”

“What?” Kai furrowed his brows he reached out for Kyungsoo.

“Why did you kill him? They were in love and you killed him! How could you?” Kyungsoo pushed Kai away again and wobbled on shaky legs. It took him a moment to realize they were still in the library.

“What are you talking about? Who did I kill? What did you see?” Kai looked hurt at Kyungsoo’s accusation.

Kyungsoo shook his head, the images of the bright snow still danced on his peripherals. “I – I don’t know. My head hurts. Too much,” he shook his head again and then glared at Kai. “But I do know you killed the previous Demon Lord.”

“Oh.” Kai mumbled and looked to the ground. “Maybe I should tell you the real story then.”

“No, this is too much for me in one day. I don’t know what to think, what to believe, I don’t even know where I stand anymore.” He could not handle any more surprises like today. His head felt like it would explode and he was not sure if he wanted to know the ‘real story’, whatever that was. His entire world had been thrown askew. _Suho had been in love with the Demon Lord._

“He asked me to kill him.” Kai seemed determined to at least let that bit of information be known.

“I don’t understand.” Kyungsoo closed his eyes; he could still see the expression on Suho’s face. “My head hurts so bad.” He pressed his palms against his temples. Nothing was soothing the pressure.

Kai nodded, “Alright, let’s get you back to your quarters. It looks like the heat is causing you more trouble than I thought.”

Kyungsoo stared at Kai. He had not realized that Kai was perfectly dry while he was uncomfortably soaked in his own sweat. He looked down at his tunic and then back at Kai. “How?”

“Demons have lower body temperatures.” He explained.

“But, you’re not a demon.” Kyungsoo wiped away his sweat with an equally sweaty hand. It did not help.

“I should have been.” Kai murmured and pulled back the gauzy curtain. Instead of making them walk all the way back, he simply lifted Kyungsoo into his arms and flew them back. When they landed, he returned to his own quarters.

Kyungsoo stood awkwardly for a few moments and then pulled off the tunic. He was unbelievably sweaty and felt gross. The only upside was that his room was much cooler than the library and he was beginning to feel a little better. He wondered if Kai’s servants would respond if he called for them and decided to try it out. He softly called out and one of them appeared at the door, standing uncertainly. Kyungsoo smiled at the small bug-eyed demon and handed it the wet garments. "It would be nice if you’d bring me a replacement.”

The servant blinked and then nodded slowly before leaving. Within moments another entered carrying a blue tunic. It bowed and then asked, “Permission to speak?”

“Yes.” Kyungsoo was somewhat baffled that it asked him that. He took the replacement and pulled it on, he felt better instantly.

“The Demon Lord requests your presence once you are ready.”

Kyungsoo nodded. “Okay, thank you and tell him I’ll be there in a bit.” He waited until the servant left before moving to his bed. He wanted to have some serious thinking time. There had to be a way for him to sort through everything he learned today.

~*~

Kai paced in his room. He still had no idea what had just happened to Kyungsoo back in the library. One minute he was standing and the next he was convulsing on the floor. He had never been so scared in his life. He vowed to never bring Kyungsoo back to the library again, because he had no clue if the next time would prove to be harmful.

Nothing like that happened to him when he read the book. In fact, the only negative effect he had was a slight headache from the small print. Although he figured that the story Kyungsoo read was different from the others because it was the first one that spoke of angels in a pleasant light. Not only that, but even Kai could feel the effects of a strong charm when he read it, almost as if he was experiencing it firsthand. From what he read himself, it seemed that the previous Demon Lord and the angel met during battles, but he knew better than that. Their letters detailed other meetings, meetings that very few knew of and were incredibly private.

The thing that scared him the most was the fact that they seemed to mirror Kyungsoo’s and his situation. Both were forbidden relationships, and both involved a Demon Lord. He just hoped that he would not be killed in the end. Thoughts of the sort brought him back to his first few days in Hell.

_He just landed and could feel the feathers fall off his wings in waves. Everyone stared at him as he left behind a trail of dark grey. He did not know where to go so he sought out the other Fallen angels for safety. It was his first time in Hell and he was worried what would become of him._

_He soon found himself being pushed into a crowd of demons headed towards the main square. A riot was in the makings and he was beginning to panic. He glanced up and saw several dozen demons fly right out through the gates into the human realm. The others shoved and kicked and hissed at each other and they fought their way to the throne._

_Kai was suddenly pulled from the crowd by someone. He turned to thank them, but his voice stilled in his throat. He watched from the sidelines as a giant brawl broke out. Black blood filled the stone cracks and unearthly screamed reverberated in the air._

_“This is why we need a new Demon Lord. He has simply given up.” The demon who saved him said._

_Kai blinked. "It’s not always like this?”_

_“No, we were once a great empire, orderly, and civil. We may be evil, but we were never barbarians. I’m Baekhyun, by the way.”_

_Kai paused. He could not introduce himself as Jongin, since he was no longer an angel. He twisted his lips into a wry smile, “I’m Kai.” He figured he should make as many alliances as quickly as possible._

_“Cool name.” Baekhyun said and then nodded towards the fight. “Things don’t work like that. Well they shouldn’t. You see, I’ve been here a long time. I’ve seen many Demon Lords rise and fall. This one’s time is up.”_

_“And you want the throne?” Kai raised an eyebrow._

_“Nah, that’s too much responsibility for me.” He examined Kai thoroughly. “But, you might be the perfect fit.”_

_Kai had only been here for a few minutes and he was being drawn into a plan. It was completely different from how Heaven was and he was finding that he already liked it. “Do you have a plan?”_

_Baekhyun smirked. “I knew there was something about you that I liked.” He pulled him further away from the mob. “Come, I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”_

Kai stared down at his hands. If he had known that becoming the Demon Lord meant there would be so much on his shoulders, he never would have agreed to help Baekhyun. He still found it odd how he was the one on the throne when all he did was follow Baekhyun’s plan. But then again, Baekhyun’s plan or not, the previous Demon Lord was waiting for the day his killer would come.

Kai sighed as he remembered how it all went down. It was a shame, really, he had grown so fond of the previous Demon Lord. Even though he was rather silent and always looked as if he was suffering from a great pain, he was pleasant to be around. Kai had learned quite a bit from him as the Demon Lord had taken a particular interest in him. He learned how to run Hell and various secrets about Heaven and Hell.

He could remember the sad look on the Demon Lord’s face when he told him that he wished things were different. It was in those moments that he told Kai something that would haunt him forever. “Never fall for an angel. You’ll end up just like me, staring into the face of your killer.”

Kai remembered sputtering about how he could have possibly known, but the previous Demon Lord simply removed the blade from its hiding spot and placed it in Kai’s hands. “Because I want you to kill me.” He had closed his eyes and swallowed. “Make it quick, I don’t him want to suffer any more.”

Kai shuddered as he opened his eyes. He had pushed that day so deep inside of him. He hated to think of it because it always filled him with sorrow. Now that he was in the same situation, he felt apprehensive. He just hoped that it was not Baekhyun who was planning his downfall. He was not sure if he could handle that kind of betrayal.

Kyungsoo suddenly appeared in his room. He had a small smile on his face. "It seems we both had a lot to think about.”

Kai looked up at him and nodded. “Please sit. I have a lot to tell you.” He sighed and patted the bed. It was time he told someone what he had been told the first year he was in Hell. “Being the Demon Lord was not always like this…”

~*~

Kyungsoo whimpered as Kai entered him. It was slow and pleasant. He could not fight the guilt at Kai’s gentleness. He knew exactly what Kai was feeling as he thrusted deeply inside of him. He may have felt the same way, but his intentions were not in the right place. He ran his fingers through the silky strands and swallowed a sob. The closer he got to Kai, the more it would hurt him in the end.

Kai murmured in his ear. His eyes were closed and he was simply feeling. He was giving a part of himself that no one ever had, and that only Kyungsoo would ever have. Each undulation of his hips was meaningful and deliberate. He kissed the full lips sweetly and let himself become lost in the experience.

Kyungsoo bit his lip to suppress a whine. It felt so good and yet he felt so wrong. He opened his eyes to meet Kai’s gaze and his breath caught in his throat. He hated himself in that moment because Kai was looking down at him with the most desperate love he had ever seen. He closed his eyes again and forced the image of his face away. If he did not look at him he would not feel so bad.

Slowly rocking his hips forward, Kai moaned deep in his chest. He could not help but love the angel. It was as if he was destined to, as if their bodies were meant for one another. He wanted to show him just how much he meant to him since he was not the most eloquent with his words. He kept their bodies close, pressed against one another tightly, because he wanted as much contact with him as he could get. He wanted to be closer to him than anyone had ever been before.

Kyungsoo pulled him into a kiss and wrapped his legs around his waist. Once again, they were not simply having sex, this was something much more and it scared him. He wanted it, but he was conflicted. He could feel Kai push into him slowly, tenderly, and with intent. He arched up into him and squeezed his legs tighter around him. He wished he could simply stop thinking, but every time Kai plunged into him it only made him think more. He bit his lip and forced his mind to be quiet and focused on the sensation.

Kai thrusted a little faster, enjoying the soft mewls from Kyungsoo’s swollen lips. He loved everything about him, from the way his eyes crinkled at the sides when he squeezed them shut, to the flush of his pale skin to the tenor of his voice. He wanted experience him forever and for the moment to never end. He was losing the battle with each thrust, becoming incoherent, just a bundle of sensations and emotions. It was the most alive he had ever felt and it was all because of Kyungsoo.

He could feel himself clench around the thick length. Every sense was heightened. Every little touch, every brush of Kai’s breath, every movement was bringing him closer and closer to his climax. His legs trembled and his hands roamed Kai’s back, searching for purchase. His was filled with his adoration for Kai. He simply did not care what the outcome would be in that moment. He would throw away everything if it meant he could feel like this forever.

The friction of their bodies as they gave in completely to one another increased. Kai began stroking Kyungsoo’s shaft in time to the rhythm of his hips, bringing them closer to the edge. He bit down lightly on the plush bottom lip while his other hand ran through the inky hair. He could feel Kyungsoo’s warm breath rush past his cheek in short gasps.

Their moans created a sort of musical chorus that echoed off the stone walls. Each crescendo was followed by a decrescendo in a cycle. Kyungsoo tangled his fingers in Kai’s hair and pulled him into a crushing kiss as his hips spasmed and bucked. He came between their perspiration covered torsos and whispered in the angelic language sweet nothings. In his mind, the single phrase ‘I love you.’ Echoed loudly, but he kept himself from saying it aloud. It was not the right time.

Kai climaxed soon after and left a fiery trail from his lips and he lowered himself to clean off Kyungsoo with his tongue. Once he had finished, he cradled him against his chest and breathed in his scent.

Kyungsoo stared at Kai as he caressed his face. He felt so wrong just resting in his arms, now that his mind had returned to thinking about his eventual betrayal.

Kai was lost in his thoughts, but he sighed and said, “I thought something bad happened to you earlier.”

That made him stiffen. Kai was entirely too caring for him. He felt like he did not deserve it. “No.”

“I was worried that someone had taken you away.” Kai murmured. His hands were trembling slightly. “I thought they took you away from me again. Those years – they were not easy.”

Kyungsoo felt his eyes prickle. The tears that threatened to fall earlier were back. “I’m right here. I would never leave you.” Bile rose in his throat. He wished he could find some way to just go back in time and never start any of this. It would be less painful. He turned away as he felt a path of warmth make its way down his cheek.

“Shh, don’t cry, my angel.” Kai whispered as he wiped away the tear. “I know you would never betray me.” His own voice was thick with sorrow. It made Kyungsoo wonder just what was going through his mind.

Then what he had said hit him and he began sobbing. _Betrayal._ Why did he have to say it like that? Kyungsoo buried his face in Kai’s bare chest. He was going to ruin everything.


	7. Entombed

Chanyeol landed softly on the platform before the gates of Heaven. He wrinkled his nose and cocked his head. Heaven never closed the gates for the angel’s entrance. Clearly something terrible had happened while he was away. He racked his mind to think of everything that could have caused this, but in all his years of being an angel, he had never seen them closed. Not even when the war picked up speed a few centuries ago.

He frowned slightly as he walked up to the Power guarding the gate. He felt almost dwarfed by its size and aura that emanated from him.

“Purpose for your return?” The voice was gruff and the Power glared down at him with his eyes of Light.

Chanyeol blinked and fought the urge to grovel at the Power’s feet. “Uh, I need specific guidance on a complication with my mission.” He glanced up at the Power and wondered why he was using the Eyes of Light on him. He had never lied in the presences of Heaven and certainly did not plan to start now.

The Power’s eyes dimmed and stepped aside. The gates creaked open. That was the first sign of distress, the gates never creaked. The whining sound grated on Chanyeol’s eardrums and he winced several times as the sound peaked. When he opened his eyes he nearly dropped his jaw. Angels were flying around in chaos, carrying bits and pieces of burnt armor and bent weapons. Some had heavy Heavenly artillery strapped to their chests and others scanning the area. They all paused when the gates creaked open and stared at Chanyeol.

“What-what’s happening?” He turned to see the Power grimacing at the scene as well.

“There was a breach a few days ago. A couple of demons found a hole in our defenses and wriggled their way in. First time since the war started that they set foot in our home.” A visible vein throbbed in his forehead. “Damned demons.”

Chanyeol’s foot slipped backwards unintentionally. “A _couple_ did this?!” He may have still been an Archangel, but seeing his one and only home so utterly destroyed nearly brought him to his knees. That and there was no way two demons could have done so much damage.

“A couple hundred.” The Power turned his back to the horrific scene.

Chanyeol whistled under his breath. He had no idea how a couple hundred demons could have found their way into Heaven undetected. This had to be the first deliberate move that the new Demon Lord made. And if this was his first move, then it looked like the battle of good and evil was going to be much tougher than he thought. No wonder he had to recruit more angels. 

He stepped through the gateway and edged around a large pothole in the white pavement. He winced slightly as a rain of demon blood drenched him from above. He glanced up to see the entrails fall out of a deep gash in its torso. It cried out in a garbled voice and lunged for the angel while holding the bloodied organs in one of its hands. The angel dove out of its attack and hacked off the arm holding the sword. Chanyeol dodged the limb and hurried his pace. His hair was covered in the vile substance.

Chanyeol’s eyes remained saucer sized as he eventually made his way to Great Hall. He saw more horrors of war, but they did not faze him. His time on the field had desensitized him to such atrocities. However, he felt like his world was spinning. He felt like a foreigner in a strange place. Heaven looked nothing like how it did a short while ago. The white marbled roads were stained black and gold from the blood of demons and angels respectively. There were holes in the walls of the Houses and smoke billowing from the Main Square.

The doors to the Great Hall were hanging astray and gravel littered the floor. It was the most sacred place in all of Heaven and it was utterly ransacked. The once crystal-clear pools of water were swirling from the blood of the slain. Chanyeol knelt by one of the cleaner ones and cupped his hands. He poured the water over his head to wash out some of the demon blood.

He heard a gurgling sound from the entrance to the Seraphim quarters and rose to his feet. The hair on his arms stood on edge as he tentatively stepped through the doorway. What his eyes met sent a wave of nausea through him and made him fall to his knees. All seven of the Seraphim were lying face down in pools of their own blood.

He swallowed thickly and checked each of them for pulses and when he finished, a rage bubbled within him. The Seraphim were forbidden from fighting because they were the holiest of all the angels. They were supposed to have guards at all times, and yet there were none here. He closed his eyes and let out an exasperated breath and tried to calm himself down.

The sound of feet crunching gravel stole his attention. Chanyeol whipped around to see a scaly demon kneeling over the oldest Seraphim, lapping at its blood. In seconds, he was standing behind the demon, its wings in his hands – keeping it from changing their composition. The rage within him boiled over and before he could even consciously comprehend what he was doing, he was ripping the wings off its back barehanded. He could feel each tendon and muscle pop and rip. Blood oozed over his hands, but he did not care. All he could see was the helpless faces of the Seraphim flashing before his eyes.

The demon screeched and the sound brought platoons of angels rushing to the Great Hall. Chanyeol was vaguely aware of their presence but he was only half done ripping the first wing off. The demon thrashed wildly, but he had him pinned down. He felt his lips curl menacingly as the joint popped out of its socket.

Hands closed around Chanyeol’s arms and tugged him off the demon. He flailed and screamed the obscenest words he could think of at the demon in its own language. How could something like this happen? How could things have gone wrong so quickly after his departure? He struggled against the grip of his fellow angels as they attempted to calm him.

He was still completely overcome by his rage and he knew that he would be sent to the council for evaluation after this episode, but no one had been here to protect the Seraphim and that was all his mind could focus on. He knew one thing for sure though; the next demon he saw was going to pay. 

~*~

Baekhyun frowned as he glanced at the time. It was early in the morning and Chanyeol had yet to appear. Even though it had been nearly a week, he still waited for him to at least show up, but still had not had any word from him. He shrugged his shoulders and rolled out of bed. He knew part of him was looking forward to seeing Chanyeol last week, but since the bakery had also been closed, he could safely assume that something important had come up.

Apart from accepting the fact that Chanyeol was busy, he had also cooled down from his spat with Kai. He still hated him for what he was doing, but after some thinking he decided to simply ignore it because while it did not directly affect him now, he knew he would have to address it at some point.

He walked over to the window and squinted out at the street below. The sun was still much too bright for his eyes but he was gradually getting used to it slightly. His eyes no longer pained him as much and he could almost go outside without using his powers to protect them. He watched as people walked by the bakery and paused to look in, confused expressions on their faces.

He laughed bitterly at their shared confusion and contemplated returning to Hell to pass the time of Chanyeol’s absence. He figured that the angel would stay out of his way and he would not have to deal with his self-righteousness. But, he did not want to leave the human realm without having some sort of fun. If Chanyeol did not return by today, he would simply move on to someone else and get his fill of fun.

There was a knock on his door and he looked over his shoulder at it, glued to the floor before the window. He did not feel like answering it so he waited for whoever it was to leave before he moved. There was another set of knocks and then a piece of paper slipped into his room through the mail slot. Baekhyun frowned and walked over to get it.

_Dear Baekhyun,_

_Sorry for not showing up last week. There was a family emergency that I needed to take care of. It seems like I will have to make it up to you somehow, so come by the bakery later and we’ll talk. :)_

_-Chanyeol_

Baekhyun stared at the note and then snorted. Oh, he’d make Chanyeol make it up to him alright. He was going to get what he wanted from him once and for all. He glanced back to the window to see Chanyeol unlock and enter the bakery and smirked. He’d make him wait a few days as a taste of his own medicine and then he’d exact his revenge on him. All he needed was a plan.

A few hours later, Baekhyun sat on the edge of his bed with the scrying mirror. He had been watching Chanyeol all day so far and each time he glanced at the door when someone entered with a hopeful expression, he giggled. He thought about bringing someone with him to the bakery to stir up some jealousy on Chanyeol’s part, but turned the idea down. If he was going to charm someone, it was going to be Chanyeol. Besides he was still bitter over the fact that he had gone to Chanyeol’s house every day last week to find him only to no avail.

Yet, he had no clue why he even cared. After all, Chanyeol was only a simple-minded human that he was using to distract him from what Kai was doing. There were plenty of other humans to choose from, but he was drawn to him first, and he hated not following through with plans. Then again, Chanyeol did not know he had planned to take advantage of him, so if he didn’t then there was no harm done, except to Baekhyun’s pride, and that was something that did not need any more hits.

He stared at Chanyeol in the scrying mirror and rolled onto his stomach, he was going to enjoy making him wait a few days. One thing about Baekhyun that always worked in his favor was his utter determination to get things perfect and if that required time, he was willing to wait it out no matter how long.

~*~

Chanyeol wiped down the counters in the bakery and glanced up at the doors as the bell rang. It had been four days since he left the letter at Baekhyun’s and he wondered if he had simply left. After all, Baekhyun was a demon, and demons were not to be trusted, yet, after the council meeting in Heaven, he had forgiven him. He was not allowed to hold grudges, and that was why he stayed in Heaven for a much longer duration of time than he had planned. He wanted to be completely over his anger before he saw him again. That and he still wanted to save him.

So, when said demon walked through the door wearing pastel colors and a pair of glasses, he nearly did a double take. It was shocking just how much a wardrobe change could make a person look so _innocent_. He glanced back down at the counter and scrubbed a little harder while Baekhyun approached him.

“Hey, is everything okay with your family?” Baekhyun asked, his voice soft and lilting. No wonder he had Chanyeol so fooled.

Chanyeol froze. Was this the same Baekhyun from before who was screaming at another demon just a week ago? He looked up and opened his mouth to respond but all his words escaped him as he took in Baekhyun’s cheerful smile. There was no way this was the same person. Maybe Baekhyun wasn’t a demon? Perhaps Chanyeol had imagined it all?

“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine. I just wanted to make sure everything was fine.” He shrugged and grinned.

Chanyeol felt very strange in that moment. He was entirely confused and yet intrigued. He wondered if this was some type of act that Baekhyun was putting on. He could not think of a reason why he would do such a thing, but the complete personality change was eerie.

“I’m fine. They’re…” he trailed off. How exactly was Heaven doing now? When he left, they were cleaning up the mess and rebuilding, but everyone was visibly shaken. They constantly glanced over their shoulders as they huddled close to each other. It as though the attack had everyone on pins and needles. Also, there was the fact that Suho had been promoted to Seraphim and was the only one for now. He was constantly surrounded by several Powers while he looked entirely pleased to be in such a position, everyone could see the strain behind his perfect smile.

Several angels had been trained directly to become Powers and Chanyeol could only be spared because he was recruiting people. In the past week, he had sent up nearly one hundred men and women who were willing and he knew that at least fifty more would be joining. He knew there were whispers of the sudden disappearance of humans, but they blamed it on a widespread disease ransacking every continent.

He cleared his throat. “They’re holding themselves together.” He figured that it was about as close as he could get to telling Baekhyun.

“Are you sure you’re fine?” Baekhyun leaned forward and placed his hand on Chanyeol’s. It was so much smaller than his own and had very delicate looking fingers. Weren’t demons rough and sturdy?

Chanyeol fought the urge to place his other hand on top. The bakery was suddenly getting very hot and he had no clue what was happening to him. He could hardly take his eyes from Baekhyun’s and he found that the longer he stared into them, the warmer the room became. He swallowed thickly and nodded his head – his voice had escaped him.

“That’s good. So, what did you want to do to make up for standing me up?” Baekhyun kept eye contact as he tilted his head to the side. His tongue darted out to wet his lips and Chanyeol’s eyes flashed to the movement. Baekhyun's pink tongue stirred something inside of him.

It was so unbearably hot in the room. Chanyeol could feel himself beginning to sweat. He found himself leaning towards Baekhyun over the counter and his mind clouding. He wanted nothing more than to feel his lips on his own.

~*~

Baekhyun pushed Chanyeol onto his back and crawled on top of him. He could not believe it had been so easy to vex him. All he needed was the proper look, and a bit of his powers to wrap him around his finger. He breathed on his neck as he ghosted his lips over the skin. The latter shuddered as goose bumps formed on his skin. Baekhyun rolled his body against Chanyeol’s as he wound his fingers in his dark hair. He was going to take his time with him.

He yanked his head back slightly and sucked on the junction of Chanyeol’s jaw and neck, receiving a deep groan in return. He smirked and ran his tongue down Chanyeol’s torso. Feeling the reaction of Chanyeol’s body to his actions turned him on even more. He circled a perk nipple and lightly bit down on it. 

Chanyeol gasped and screwed his eyes shut. His hands balled the sheets up and he arched his back. He had never felt anything like this in his entire life. The hot breath of Baekhyun teased him and he wanted more – of what he was not sure, but he still wanted it.

Baekhyun continued his gradual path towards the hardened member constrained by Chanyeol’s pants and looped his fingers in the waist band and tugged them down. He grinned at the size and ghosted his lips along the shaft as Chanyeol groaned and raised his hips. He glanced up to find Chanyeol biting his lip and looking down at him with hooded eyes. He smirked and pulled Chanyeol’s pants the rest of the way off before climbing back on top of him and grinding his own hips down on him.

Chanyeol moaned and bit his lip even harder. His body was on fire. Every touch from Baekhyun drove him insane and he could no longer think clearly. All he knew was that he wanted him to continue. If he had known this kind of pleasure existed, he never would have thought twice about going to the human realm.

Baekhyun smirked at the fact that Chanyeol was enjoying everything so much even though the real deal had not happened yet. He figured he was a virgin since he was so religious, so he would have the opportunity of deflowering him. He reached over to his nightstand for a bottle of lube and then tongued a path down to Chanyeol’s cock.

He dug his nails into his thighs as he took the tip into his mouth. The subsequent moan from Chanyeol’s lips made him laugh, which vibrated his throat and caused another keen. He could not wait to see how he’d react to being inside of him. He swirled his tongue around the tip and then engulfed it completely. 

Chanyeol nearly broke the skin on his lip from biting it. He was writhing at the mercy of Baekhyun’s sinful mouth. He could feel the urge to thrust into Baekhyun and gripped the strands of chocolate colored hair and rolled his hips up slowly, shuddering.

Baekhyun nearly gagged and released Chanyeol’s tool in an instant. He did not like having head pushed down like that. Clearly it was time for him to prepare himself. He lubed two fingers and slipped one inside while he captured Chanyeol’s lips with his own.

Once he was fully stretched, he slickened Chanyeol’s cock and lowered himself onto it slowly, hissing at the initial pain. Chanyeol seemed eager to comply and placed his hands on Baekhyun’s hips. He locked eyes with him and slowly lifted Baekhyun up and lowered him again.

They found a smooth, yet slow pace and it drove Baekhyun mad. He always thought that speed gave him the most pleasure, but Chanyeol’s languid rhythm was unlike anything he had ever felt. Not only that, but looking down at him as he rode him was stimulating him beyond words. He encircled his fingers around his own cock and stroked it in time with each undulation of Chanyeol’s hips.

Chanyeol stared up at Baekhyun and felt something tickle at the back of his mind. He was vaguely aware that what he was doing was wrong, but it felt oh so good. He reached up and pulled Baekhyun down into a kiss. Now he finally understood why angels fell. To feel so much from one simple act would drive them mad. He could feel Baekhyun tremble around him and there was a pressure pooling.

He let Baekhyun lean back up and watched him as he slowly bobbed up and down. He never thought that a demon could look so beautiful until that moment. His hair was mussed, his lips swollen and parted, and he was flushed a faint red. His eyes were closed as he whined in the back of his throat. The sounds he made only increased the pressure Chanyeol was feeling.

Baekhyun felt something stir within him. It was an unfamiliar feeling, but it grew stronger whenever he looked at Chanyeol, so he kept his eyes shut and focused on the sensations. The bed creaked beneath them each time he came back down on Chanyeol cock. The deep moans that Chanyeol made were impossibly obscene. He murmured something in a language that almost distracted Baekhyun, but it was too quiet for him to catch.

The pressure continued to build until he felt his cock twitch inside of Baekhyun. Then there was an explosion of light behind his eyes coupled with intense pleasure and shudders that racked his body. His thrusting was sporadic and when he felt Baekhyun clench around him he thought he was going to die from overload.

Baekhyun let out a loud keen as he came. It was the most intense climax he had ever had and left him trembling in the aftershocks. He curled into Chanyeol’s side without thinking and felt another shudder run down his spine. He would be feeling this for days.

~*~

Chanyeol woke up to an empty bed and a groggy head. He blinked at his surroundings and tried to remember why he was in a foreign room. Flashes of the night before left him frozen in fear. He had just committed a huge sin. He tried to think of how it even started. One moment he was talking to Baekhyun in the bakery then the next he was being pushed backwards onto the bed.

His mind tried to piece together a logical reason for why he would have done such a thing. Baekhyun had to have something to do with this. Normally, he was impervious to demon vexing, but he could only combat it if he concentrated. Baekhyun had thrown him off guard by showing up looking _so innocent_. Not to mention that he had shown up four days late so Chanyeol was already letting his guard slip.

He pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead and sighed. He was going to be in a lot of trouble when he returned to Heaven. Of course, they had other more important matters at hand, but if he was suddenly at risk of falling, he knew they would want to keep an extra strong eye on him.

He figured he had two choices. He could return to Heaven and grovel and claim that he had no control – even though part of him had to want it to happen for it to happen in the first place – or he could simply remain in the human realm, complete his mission and then return to Heaven to fight on their side. The first choice would grant him immediate forgiveness, but would also put him on lockdown. The second choice posed a huge risk of him getting more involved and thus increased his chances of falling.

Chanyeol rolled over and stared at his clothes piled on the floor. If he did the second method, then all he had to do was stay away from Baekhyun and he’d be okay. He’d focus on his mission and nothing else. He nodded to himself and quickly got up and dressed. He needed to be out of Baekhyun’s apartment before he returned.

When he stepped outside, a scroll of light dropped in front of him. He stared at it in fear. It was a summons.

~*~

Baekhyun rolled his shoulders and flexed his wings. It felt so good to be back in Hell. The familiar heat and dim lighting added to his bliss. He was positively sore from last night, and still quite high on endorphins, so much so that when he caught sight of the angel walking towards the gates he almost did not feel intense hatred. _Almost._

He stomped over to him and grabbed him roughly by the arm. “How dare you prance around like you own the place!”

“I-I, who are you?” The angel spluttered, eyes wide and his full lips formed a small circle.

“Doesn’t matter, all you need to know is that you don’t belong here.” Baekhyun sneered. “And don’t think I’m blind, I know what you're doing with the Demon Lord. I don’t think Heaven will take you back either.” He felt smug when the angel glanced down at his feet and nodded. If he had known it would be that easy to put him in his place, he would have done so earlier.

Suddenly, the angel made direct eye contact with him. “I’m only following my orders.”

“So, you don’t even care about his wellbeing?” Baekhyun asked. It was ironic that Kai would end up pining after the angel once more, but he still did not want to see him spurned. As much as he could not stand him right now, he did remember the good times they shared. When the angel didn’t respond, he continued. “You are the reason we may lose this war, _angel_. You and you alone, and you don’t even care that he will die do you? If he loses, he _will_ be killed by other demons.”

“He seems to be doing just fine with other demons! They all love him after the attack and I- I just…” He shook his head and continued towards the gates.

Baekhyun watched him leave with curiosity. What attack was he talking about? He glanced around and noticed for the first time that everyone was in high spirits. Fallen Angels were chatting eagerly with other classes of demons and everyone was headed to the main square.

He stopped a lesser demon and asked him to tell him what happened. Once the lesser demon finished, Baekhyun felt a large grin adorn his face. He could not believe it. Kai had made the first move Hell had made in centuries. Still – he thought back to the conversation he had with the angel – that angel seemed to have ulterior motives, so Baekhyun wanted to at least warn Kai before he got too big headed over his success.

He practically skipped through the tunnels leading to Kai’s quarters and found him sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. He suspected it was due to the angel and rolled his eyes. “You know that angel doesn’t care for you.”

Kai glanced up at him with pure hatred in his eyes. “Get out.” He looked tired.

Baekhyun tilted his head and smiled. First thing out of his mouth had poked every button Kai had. It was a new personal best for him. “I’m serious, I just asked him and he clearly does not care for you at all, so you’re wasting your time trying to bring back your glory days in Heaven.”

“I said get out.” Kai muttered and continued staring at the floor. He seemed devoid of all emotion.

Baekhyun felt his finger twitch. He wanted to shake some sense into Kai. He stepped towards him and continued. “Anyway, congratulations on your attack on Heaven. You’re finally living up to the title of Demon Lord, now.” He clapped a hand on Kai’s shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.

“Baekhyun, leave before I have you thrown out.” Kai said in a monotone.

“Are you seriously that upset over a stupid angel? I swear if you become like the previous Demon Lord, I am going to kill you with my own hands.” Baekhyun screamed and paced around the room. He could not even fathom how it was possible to even fall for an angel. They were so innocent this and innocent that and blah blah blah. He hated them. All they ever did was cause problems for the dwellers of Hell.

“Do it! Kill me!” Kai rose to his feet and advanced towards Baekhyun.

Out of the corner of his eye, Baekhyun caught sight of the angel. His knew exactly what he had to do to get rid of the angel. He gave Kai a coy smile and beckoned him. He let Kai back him up against the wall. “Don’t you remember how we used to be?” He said loud enough for the angel to hear. He walked his fingers up Kai’s arm to his face and then cupped it.

Kai gave him a confused look and opened his mouth to say something, but Baekhyun took the opportunity and kissed him. He dug his fingers into Kai’s hair and yanked hard, making the Demon Lord moan. “Tell me you don’t miss this.” He whispered against his lips.

 When he heard the soft gasp from the angel and then footsteps leaving, Baekhyun broke the kiss and was immediately punched in the jaw. “What the fuck are you doing?!”

Baekhyun massaged his jaw and jerked his head in the direction of where the angel was standing a few moments ago. “I’m taking care of your angel problem.” He snorted and then opened and closed his mouth a few times. His jaw as going to ache for a while.

“He was standing there, wasn’t he?” Kai whispered as he stared at the entrance. “I am going to chain you to the depths of Hell, Baekhyun. Just you wait.” He gritted through his teeth before he stormed out of the cave after the angel.

Baekhyun chuckled. If he knew it would only take a kiss to get rid of the angel, he would have kissed Kai on the first day. Still, he was annoyed. The old Kai would have jumped at an opportunity to screw around, but the new Kai clearly was wrapped around that angel’s pinky. It worried Baekhyun, but if Kai was so determined to be his own downfall, then Baekhyun was going to give up. He still hated the angel with all his being, but now he could not wait to see how they fared after his little show.

He sighed and walked out a few moments later and decided it was time to return to the human realm before Chanyeol woke up. He didn’t want him to leave before a second round. He glanced up just in time to see Kai chasing after the angel. It looked as though they were headed towards the library.

Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders and continued towards the gates. Once he ascended to the human realm he quickly made his way to his apartment. He opened his door to find it eerily quiet. “Chanyeol?” He called out, hoping he had not left. He was in the mood for another romp between the sheets. He needed something to get the taste of Kai out of his mouth.

He opened his room door and found it empty. Something squeezed his heart as he sat down. He could not place the name of the emotion he was feeling. He scanned the room for a note and found none. He wondered if there was another family emergency and flopped backwards on the bed. Once again, he was alone.


	8. Tempest

Kai paced Luhan’s room, his tucked wings twitching in annoyance. He never walked around with his wings out, but he felt like he was about to take off at any moment. Over the past few days he had been mulling over what Baekhyun had told him about not being worthy of the throne. He knew he had been preoccupied with Kyungsoo so much that he had been neglecting his duties as the Demon Lord and that could lead to an uprising that Hell really did not need at the moment.

He turned on his heel again and ignored Luhan’s probing mind once more. He needed to do something to ensure the inhabitants of Hell that he was on their side and that he would lead them to victory. He needed to make sure they knew he was their Lord and that no one would dare to rise against him. He tapped his lip, deep in thought while he turned on his heel again.

He had been playing with a rather outlandish idea of attacking Heaven first, but each time he went over the plan he could not figure out a way to lead the battalion inside as demons did not have a way to enter on their own.

“Use the angel.” Luhan said as he crossed his ankles. His fingers were absentmindedly running through Sehun’s hair while they both watched Kai pace.

The Demon Lord froze and stared at them wide eyed. Kyungsoo was due to visit Heaven soon and as much as he did not want to use him as an access point, he could not think of any other way to get into Heaven. He narrowed his gaze slightly. “That might work…”

“So, you _are_ going to talk after all? And you’re not just wasting my time?” Luhan raised an eyebrow. His fingers twirled a lock of Sehun’s hair between them.

Kai held back a harsh retort. Luhan was the demon he put in charge of war so he supposed his specialty would allow him a bit more leeway in the general disrespect of those in power, but it still bothered Kai to a degree. He took a deep breath, steadying his shoulders and giving his wings a shake before speaking. “Yes, I have a plan and you will put it in action. In fact,” he paused. “You will be leading the battalion right through Heaven’s gates undetected by my- the angel. Your powers will come quite in handy.” His mind was working fast to rework the plan to include Luhan. If he wanted to keep him on his side, he needed to involve him more.

He could already see Luhan snaking into Kyungsoo’s mind and disguising the entire group of demons following behind him as thin air. He knew he was capable of it and yet it made him uncomfortable to willingly let Luhan dive into Kyungsoo’s mind without warning him. He felt a micro expression cross his face before he composed it, but Luhan caught it and spoke.

“I’ve already been in his mind countless times before, it’s nothing new.” He curled a strand of Sehun’s hair and then mumbled for him to start gathering the forces. He watched his face expectantly and then stroked it.

Kai watched Sehun as he mulled over what Luhan just said. Of course, he had already been in Kyungsoo’s mind, after all privacy was the _last_ thing on anyone’s list of priorities in Hell. “After this mission, I forbid you to touch his mind again.”

"It’s not very interesting to be quite honest.” Luhan shrugged and nudged Sehun to get moving. “I’ve only been able to access his thoughts when they aren’t guarded and that’s usually when you are preoccupying him. Even then, he is a miserable sort. Always moping over how he will betray you and how he doesn’t want to because he loves you and blah, blah, blah.” Luhan pushed himself to his feet and shook out his wings as he approached Kai. They were golden color, rare in Hell, and the boney spikes were white. “He’s kind of pathetic, if you ask me.” He leaned in close to Kai, nose almost brushing his. “Useful, but pathetic.”

Kai gritted his teeth. There was no way that Kyungsoo was plotting to betray him. Once again, he concluded that Luhan was trying to get a reaction out of him. Still he did like that Luhan called his angel pathetic. It bothered him deeply. He hated to hear anyone talk badly of Kyungsoo, no matter how much demons and angels hated each other, he simply could not stand it. “He is not pathetic.”

Luhan snorted but said nothing and headed off after Sehun to prepare for their departure. Kai pursed his lips and then left, muttering curses under his breath. He flew with purpose to Kyungsoo’s room and landed angrily as he stormed in to find Kyungsoo staring at the ceiling. He must not have moved all day.

He glided to him and leaned over. His anger faded the moment he met those doe eyes. Instead it was replaced with concern and he gently brushed the back of his hand against his cheek. “Are you okay?”

Kyungsoo bit his lip and nodded. His eyes flicked back to the stalactites and he sighed loudly. “I have to go back and report to them tomorrow…”

Kai nodded. “I know.” In the back of his mind he could see Luhan and Sehun rallying demons for battle. He hoped that his plan would work. If it did, then it would solidify his status and quiet the rumors of him and the angel. Not that he cared if the inhabitants of Hell knew about his and the angel’s relationship, but something about what Baekhyun had said made him hesitant.

“I don’t want to go back.” Kyungsoo’s voice was so small that it tore Kai was not sure if he heard him right. He sat down on the edge of the bed and pressed his lips on the angel’s forehead.

“Everything will work out, my angel. All you have to do is go in, report, and then return here.” Kai then smiled. “And I’ll be eagerly awaiting your return.”

Kyungsoo turned and stared at him. His face held a dozen different emotions at once. He looked extremely conflicted and it pained Kai to see him like that. Kai leaned down again and whispered in Kyungsoo’s ear, “Is there anything I can do that will calm your mind, angel?”

Kyungsoo nodded his head. “Just lay with me.” He shifted over to make room for Kai.

Kai swallowed. He was used to being the one who initiated interactions between him and Kyungsoo. In fact, the last time Kyungsoo had initiated anything was back in Heaven and that made Kai’s stomach drop. He rested his head on the pillow, listening as his breathing sharpened when Kyungsoo curled into him.

“They pour holy water on everything I touch…even the ground that I walk on.” Kyungsoo whispered, his warm breath caressing Kai’s skin as he talked.

Kai tensed. He had not been expecting this at all. His mind raced and images of the angels pouring pitchers and buckets of holy water after Kyungsoo made his heart tear in two. He could even see the expressions of disgust and disdain on their faces once Kyungsoo passed them. His arms tightened around the angel, holding him closer as he tried to will some of his strength into him.

“They stare and whisper. Some of them shy away as if I carry some kind of sickness. None of them will meet my eyes, not even the ones I called friends. It’s as if I don’t belong there, as if I am some sort of walking disaster waiting to happen.” His voice was still low, but it held honest fear when he said, “I don’t belong anywhere anymore. Not Heaven, not Hell, not anywhere.”

Kai knew he was to blame and yet Kyungsoo had not called him out on it. He placed a kiss to the angel’s temple and spoke into his hair, “You do belong.”

“No, I don’t.” Kyungsoo’s voice was muffled as he shook his head.

“Yes, you do. You belong here, with me.” He squeezed him a little tighter. “And I belong with you. Why else would you have been sent here so soon after I had taken the throne? It was ordained, it was destined.” He kissed his temple again.

Kyungsoo rolled over and pushed back slightly. “Are you saying that we are fated?”

“Yes.” Kai said. He guessed that in a way, he was saying exactly that. He was assigned to be Kyungsoo’s protégé in Heaven, and Kyungsoo just so happened to be the messenger that was sent to make the deal with Heaven and now he was here with him. His eyes widened as he realized that he was keeping him hostage and that the other angels’ reactions to Kyungsoo in Heaven were entirely his fault. “But, please don’t blame yourself. If I wasn’t so selfish, none of this would be happening.” Kai paused, the gravity of what he had done crashing down on him. “You would still be in Heaven, happily, as if nothing ever happened…I’m sorry.”

“No.” Kyungsoo gazed at him the sadness in his eyes only increased. “I’m the one who should be sorry.”

Kai shook his head. “I told you the past is the past, stop worrying about that–”

"It’s not about the past.” Kyungsoo’s voice rose unexpectedly so he glanced down to soften the effect. He gnawed on his lip and a slight pink tint rose to his cheeks.

Kai froze. So Luhan was right after all? Kyungsoo was plotting to betray him? “Then what are you talking about?”

“N-nothing. Forget I said anything.” He rolled to his feet. “I need to be alone for a bit.”

Kai frowned. He almost wished he could peek into the angel’s mind, but he figured that whatever was bothering him would eventually be revealed in time. He rose to his feet as well and then strode over to the angel. He cupped his chin and kissed him gently, like they used to in Heaven, only with actual emotion behind it. He felt Kyungsoo melt into the kiss and held him against him tightly. He wanted Kyungsoo to know that no matter what he did he would always love him. He knew somewhere deep inside of him that Kyungsoo did too, even though he never said it aloud.

But in that moment, he could feel it behind the kiss. He could feel that tender, yet desperate love. He could feel it in the way Kyungsoo clutched his arm, the way he pressed against him as if he could not have enough contact with him. He could feel it in the tiny shudder that ran through him when Kai began pushing the tunic off his shoulders. He could feel it in the way he let him push him against the wall once the tunic had fallen to his ankles, and in the way he gasped when Kai hoisted him up, and the way he wrapped his legs around Kai’s waist.

Kai smiled drunkenly. Everything about the angel simply intoxicated him and he could bear it no longer. He kissed him with bruising force and then lessened into playful sucking, swiping his tongue until he was let inside. He roamed his mouth, lost in Kyungsoo, drinking him in and devouring his very essence. “You don’t know how much you mean to me…” he breathed into the shell of his ear right before he nipped his earlobe.

He could feel Kyungsoo tightened his legs around him and choke back a sob. When he looked at him Kyungsoo’s eyes were glistening with unshed tears. His hands were trembling as he said, “I think I do...” He continued to hang on to Kai as they sank to the floor. He sat on Kai’s lap, his legs folded underneath him and his head bowed. He refused to meet Kai’s eyes when he said, “But I don’t think you realize how much it hurts me to be in love with you. I feel so _wrong._ ”

Kai gasped softly. Hearing words of love from his angel struck a chord in him. Yet, Kyungsoo was right, it was all wrong. Angels and demons should not be intertwined the way they were.  It hurt him to see how much pain he was putting Kyungsoo through. Kai shook his head and reached for Kyungsoo’s tunic and draped it over his shoulders. “I didn’t realize I caused you this much pain.” He watched as Kyungsoo stood slowly and gave his body a full scan. They were both fully aroused, but he could feel the mood waning.

He pushed himself up and composed his emotions. “I will be in my quarters if you need me.” He gave Kyungsoo one final glance before leaving.

 

Once inside his room, he called for one of his servants to summon Luhan. Coincidentally, Luhan was right around the corner and appeared before he could send off the messenger demon to fetch him. “My lord, we seem to have a problem.”

Kai gave him an exasperated look before walking over to the obsidian desk and pulling out a roll of darkness. “What is it, Luhan?” His plan had not even started and already there were problems. This did not bode well at all. He needed for the plan to be flawless...if there was even the slightest mistake, there was no way he could survive a rebellion in Hell.

“We have too many volunteers who want to attack Heaven.” Luhan paced the room. “Also, most of the Fallen would like to battle but that would be…unwise.”

The Demon Lord sighed in relief. It was not as bad as he had feared, of course he had not foreseen so many volunteers wanting to battle, but then again, demons were a proud sort and any opportunity to show their prowess was eagerly taken. He knew he could not let the Fallen go as masking them would be a bit more difficult than masking demons and Kai did not want to take any chances of possibly letting Kyungsoo know unless he succeeded. “The Fallen may not take part. As for the rest, only take those whom you see fit.” He pulled the long, slender obsidian colored bone from the inkwell and began writing. “Also, I want you to deliver this personally.”

Luhan nodded and smiled curtly. “Seeing you like this _almost_ makes me proud, my lord.”

Kai ignored him and continued writing. If his plan went through, then he would finally have the respect he had mistakenly thought he’d have when he took the throne. With demons, he knew that he would have to prove his worth, and if he succeeded, every seed of doubt that seemed to have been planted with the arrival of the angel would be vanquished. He rolled the scroll and surrounded it in swirling darkness. “You are not to attack until after the angel has returned to Hell. I do not want him caught up in the fray.”

“As you wish, my lord.” Luhan took the scroll and gave Kai a mocking salute before turning on his heel and leaping into the air. He flew right out of the door and hung a tight left. Kai watched him with mild resentment. He had just signed over the fate of the war into Luhan’s hands. Soon, no one would question his authority or the choices he made.

He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck. He supposed a dip in the springs would ease his tension. He spread his wings, they were sore form the tension he’d been feeling and took off, using his powers as Demon Lord to travel through the rock as if they were nothing but air.

~*~

Kyungsoo watched as Kai left, confused and aching in his chest. He had gotten a little caught up in his emotions and had not known how to handle them. He had spent most of the day staring at the stalactites, musing over his situation and had decided that he had felt more at home in Hell the past few days than he had in Heaven. He dreaded going back and had wanted Kai to make him stay. However, as he was completely overwhelmed by the words that Kai was saying, he had said something in a way he did not mean to.

He did not want to offend Kai, but in the end, he had. He wanted to let him know that despite how conflicted he was about everything, that he was starting to make a choice. He was starting to feel like he did belong, but the moment Kai tried to console him, he rejected those feelings and told himself that he did not deserve to have someone care for him so strongly. Especially, because he was sent here to deceive him, not fall in love with him. The only thing was, that he was already in love with him and had been from the start. He felt his throat tighten and took a deep breath to calm his thoughts.

He frowned and slowly put the tunic back on. His pulse was still quickened and he was still aching to be satisfied by Kai, but he had singlehandedly ruined that moment with his thoughtless words. He wished he could go back in time and erase those words from Kai’s mind. He briefly wondered if he could somehow make it up to him, but he was unsure of how to do such a thing. He chewed on his lip and sighed. Hopefully after he reported to the Thrones, Kai would still be waiting for him.

He decided a dip in the hot springs would take his mind off things and summoned a servant to ask him where the nearest location was. The servant bowed before answering him and told him that he was not permitted to use any other springs aside from the Demon Lord’s personal ones, mostly for safety reasons. Kyungsoo frowned and then asked, “And where are those located?”

“Near the library, my lord.” The servant fluttered its tiny wings nervously. Its beady eyes were wide in apprehension, as if it were worried that it had upset Kyungsoo.

“Would you show me to them?” The angel asked politely, thus startling the servant once more. He wondered if Kai abused them in any way but pushed the thought from his head. He could not see Kai ever harming anyone whatsoever. Not after the tenderness he always treated Kyungsoo with. But, Kyungsoo knew that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. After all he had not seen Kai angry so he had no clue just how brutal he could be.

Still, his mind could not conjure an image of Kai harming the servants. Sure, they were ugly little beings, but they were unscarred, well fed, and looked quite healthy. He supposed that they could just be a jittery breed of demon, but he was not as knowledgeable about demon species as he was about angels. That and while angels progressed in ranks, demons were assigned into theirs.

He followed the servant as they flew to Kai’s private springs. He watched it as it darted about beating its small wings rapidly, looking fearful – perhaps that was its usual expression. He glanced down to see various demons pointing up at him as he flew, but their stares were a mixture of disdain and curiosity. He tried to ignore them, but he could feel their eyes following him as he flew.

When they arrived, the servant skittered away after bowing, leaving Kyungsoo standing outside of a cave entrance. He looked around him and then retracted his wings. He squinted but could not make out a single shape – and he had thought he was getting used to the low lighting.

He entered tentatively, hands feeling against the walls for guidance until he heard a sound. He halted, unsure who – or what – could be lurking in there. He blinked his eyes rapidly trying to force them to see in the near pitch blackness. “Hello?” He whispered.

“Angel? What brings you here?” Kai’s voice echoed in the darkness. The sound of him standing and the following cascade of water filled the air.

Kyungsoo sucked in a breath. He had been expecting to be alone, but still wanted to be near Kai. “I’ll just leave.” He turned around even though he had no intentions of leaving; hoping Kai would attempt to stop him. His hand was firmly against the wall as he reluctantly made his way back to the entrance. He felt a wet hand grasp his wrist and let Kai lead him towards the water. He wanted to talk to him, to explain what he meant earlier, but his words had escaped him.

The water was scorching – more so than Kai’s bathing springs – and it made Kyungsoo cry out. He felt as though he was being boiled alive, his breath chased out of him by the shock. He felt panic rise and his entire body tensed. He tried to stand and scramble out, but Kai placed a calming hand on the back of his neck. "It’s okay, it takes a bit to get used to.”

His lungs began functioning once more and he gulped the warm air. His body was still tensed but Kai was already massaging his shoulders and back, smoothing out the knots, and soothing him even more. In the back of his mind he remembered that the library was directly over the fiery pits of hell, so the springs had to be warmed by them which explained their intense heat.

Gradually his body went numb and the water no longer felt like it was cooking him. He could vaguely feel the gentle prodding of Kai’s fingers and relaxed into them. His mind settled on peaceful images as Kai massaged him. He rested against him, back to chest, and laid his head on his shoulder. He felt Kai’s hands roam his body before he laced his fingers through Kyungsoo’s. “Feeling better?” He breathed.

Kyungsoo nodded letting out a small sigh when Kai shifted beneath him, hot water rushing to fill the momentary void of space between their bodies. He closed his eyes, not that it made a difference since he could not see anything to begin with, and felt himself drifting off to sleep.

Kai murmured sweet nothings in his ear in a mix of angelic and demonic languages, his voice rising and falling with each syllable. He lightly kissed his temple and then told him to turn around. Kyungsoo was now straddling Kai, eyes wide, trying to make out Kai’s features in the darkness. If he leaned in close enough he could just see him. He brought his hands to Kai’s face and then ran them through his hair, wetting the strands with his fingers.

Kai closed the distance, meeting Kyungsoo’s lips with his own, softly. They were chaste kisses, punctuated with a smooth undulation of Kai’s hips and wandering hands. Tongues were introduced at Kyungsoo’s gentle prod and soon they were tasting each other, languid swipes and deep rolls.

Kyungsoo dug his nails into Kai’s shoulders and rose to his knees so he could have better access. He moaned quietly in his throat and pressed Kai against the lip of the spring. He was overcome by the need to be intimate with him. He trailed his kisses down his jaw, nipping lightly at odd intervals. He leaned against him, chest to chest, trying to show him what he had meant earlier with his actions since his words had been misinterpreted.

Kai pushed him back slightly and asked, “Is everything okay? You’re acting strange.”

Kyungsoo kissed him in response. He was afraid he would mess up again, so he kept his thoughts to himself. He knew he dreaded going back to Heaven and he knew that he had hurt Kai earlier. He wanted to make things okay again and he was going to succeed. He reached down, wrapping his fingers around the hardened shaft and stroked upwards.

Kai moaned and succumbed to Kyungsoo’s touch. He let him take charge and found himself even more turned on by that fact. The angel’s sure fingers continued massaging the harden tool and Kai could feel himself become heady with desire. His hands grazed Kyungsoo’s thighs guiding him until he was pressed at his entrance. He let his head slip against it, not penetrating out of concern of hurting him without preparation. His fingers soon slid inside, stretching him gently and slowly.

Kyungsoo let out a breathy moan and promptly bit down on his lip as it bounced off the walls and attacked his ears. The gurgling of the spring was drowned out when Kai entered him. A low keen released itself and Kyungsoo buried his face in Kai’s neck, trying to muffle the sound. His mind was focused on the pleasure instead of his twisted emotions. He whimpered as he slid back down on the thick shaft. His fingers dug in harder on Kai’s shoulders, almost drawing blood. He rose slowly, feeling the length leave him and then lowered himself back down.

They were moving at a slow rhythm, simply feeling each other. For once, both of their hearts were fully in it. Every thrust was propelled by yearning and love. Every moan was followed by soft murmurs in either language. For the first time, Kyungsoo spoke to Kai in the angelic language, expressing himself fully in the singsong melody of his moans and gasps. Telling him that he was the only being that truly mattered to him. That his touch felt like the most heavenly thing in the world. That his kisses were sweeter than the sweetest ambrosia.

Kai captured Kyungsoo’s lips with earnest. He whispered against them. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” His hands moved to Kyungsoo's shoulders, holding him down onto his shaft as it throbbed inside him.

“That I love you?” Kyungsoo gasped as Kai thrusted particularly hard, causing his voice to crack slightly.

He knew that it was because he was an angel – and angels were not supposed to feel the human emotions, let alone one as strong as love for anyone other than God. It was why he felt like he was betraying Heaven and Kai. He had broken one of the few rules that angels were supposed to follow as well as brought the one he loved into danger. Not only that, but being a natural born angel, these types of emotions were not supposed to even be within his grasp.

He was about to answer, but Kai cut him off with his lips. Kyungsoo felt the quick snap of his hips and knew that he was nearing his climax. He moaned louder as Kai pushed into him faster, the sensation heightening every sense as he struck his prostate. His legs tensed and he clung onto Kai as his thrusts became too much to handle. His voice went hoarse several times as he whimpered. He could feel the pressure building up and the caverns sounds faded away as all he could focus on was the feel of Kai inside him and the words he grunted out.

Kai climaxed in a frenzied bucking of his hips and Kyungsoo came an instant later. Their chests heaving and bodies trembling. They held on to one another, catching their breaths and waiting for their waves of ecstasy to subside.

Kyungsoo shuddered once more and whispered into Kai’s ear, “I love you.” He repeated it several times as he caught his breath. He trailed his hands down Kai’s body and into the water.

“I know.” Kai held him against him. “I just wish you had told me sooner.” His voice held a mysterious note to it, as if he was hiding something and that made Kyungsoo nervous.

“I-I couldn’t. I’m not even supposed to have emotions but, I loved you back in Heaven...” Tears welled in Kyungsoo’s eyes, but he blinked them back. He was determined not to cry. He’d done enough of that already and he felt that it was time for a change. It was time that he accepted his fate. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath. “There’s something else I must tell you...” he trailed off as he waited for his words to sink in.

~*~

Kai paced in his room, mind reeling. He stared at the smooth limestone walls as he went through his thoughts. First Kyungsoo told him that he loved him back in Heaven and then he told him that he chose to fight for Hell and risk the chance of becoming one of the Fallen. He knew that he should have been happy that Kyungsoo chose their side, but part of him doubted the honesty of his choice since he did not become instantly Fallen. 

Kai figured that Kyungsoo was still uncertain. He tapped his lip in thought and continued to pace the room when Luhan barged in, out of breath, elegant golden colored wings pulled closely to his back. “My lord! There is a riot in the main square!”

Kai spun and stared at Luhan in confusion. “What do you mean?”

“They have the angel...he was walking and a group of demons ambushed him. I tried to stop them, but too many appeared and none would listen to me even though I am above them and-” he stopped to catch his breath, but Kai did not care and pushed past him, racing through his hallway and leaping into the air.

He came out to a rather vicious scene of demons laughing and dancing while Kyungsoo was chained to a post and hoisted up. His body swung precariously as he was clearly unconscious. Kai could see the golden shimmer of his blood running down his arms and he gritted his teeth.

 Their jeers of nasty words and pure hatred filled Kai with such anger that he was blinded by it. His body tensed as his power welled up inside him. This felt different than it usually did. It felt malicious and dark but he did not care, all he could think of was hurting the ones who harmed his precious angel. He lashed out with his powers, scattering all the demons that had gathered with an invisible force and throwing them against the wall, their twitching limbs bent in impossible angles.

“What do you all think you’re doing?!” He screamed and waited for a response. Something skittered into one of the dark tunnels and Kai focused on that demon and teleported him back. “Nothing to say to me? You all had plenty to say to the angel!” He stared at the other demon’s unmoving bodies and then approached one while still holding the one he caught in his grip.

He kicked one of them and discovered it wasn’t breathing. He scanned the area and then it dawned on him that he had just killed more than twenty demons in a single move. His grip tightened around the neck of the one he still had in his grasp and then he let it fall to the ground gasping. “Get lost.” He spat and seethed as it scuttled away rubbing its scaled neck with its lizard like claws.

The Demon Lord stood in the middle of the main square and enhanced his voice so that everyone could hear him. “Let this be a lesson to you all. You will _not_ touch this angel. He is mine.” He paused and then added, “If anyone so much as lays a claw on him, you will end up like the others here. Now, dispose of these bodies, if I come back and see one laying here, I will show you all the true wrath of the Demon Lord.”

He walked over to Kyungsoo and loosed the chains that held him to the post. Luckily, he was still unconscious, so he had not seen what had happened. Kai hoisted him up in his arms and flew him back to his quarters. He ordered the servants to see to any injuries he may have sustained and called an emergency meeting with the generals and Luhan.

They met in a private room above Kai’s personal quarters and had guards posted at the entrance. “I’m sure that Luhan has informed you all of the plan.” He watched them nod in unison and stared them directly in the eye. “He has also informed you that you are not to attack until the angel has returned to Hell, correct?”

They nodded again and one of the generals – a scaly lizard like demon – spoke up. “Wouldn’t it be better if we attacked while he was still in Heaven and then we could get rid of him as well as get our point across?”

The Demon Lord’s eyes hardened he pointed at the lizard demon, dark power seeping from his fingers making the demon’s eyes bug as he was choked. “He is not to come to any harm.” He released the demon. “You all saw what happened earlier, do not test me.” He leaned forward, bracing his palms on the limestone slab they sat around. “If he is hurt I will find whoever did it and make them suffer tenfold.” He rose to his full height and crossed his arms. His dark wings surrounded him in all their magnificence. “Do I make myself clear?” He walked to the front of the room, his wing spikes scraping the hard rock.

They all nodded while Luhan continued to stand by the doorway observing and prodding their minds. He jabbed Kai’s mind and Kai let him in so they could speak in private.

_‘They fear you.’_ Luhan said.

_‘Good._ ’ Kai replied and then began laying out the details of the attack. He made sure each general was clear before sending them off to gather their forces and prepare them. Only Luhan’s would be taking part in the actual attack tomorrow but the others had to be stationed in case they needed back up.

“All it took was a few demons laying their hands on your precious angel and suddenly you’re Demon Lord of the millenium.” Luhan stated as they stood in the doorway watching the generals’ scout for their recruits.

“I think I just needed a kick to get me back into reality.” Kai murmured. His anger from earlier had nearly subsided and was replaced with worry. He wanted to check in on Kyungsoo to make sure he was okay before he went back to the library to find out a bit more about the previous Demon Lords’ battle plans.

Luhan clapped a hand on Kai’s shoulder and turned him to face him. “I’ll make sure he’s safely out before I give the command.” His face was entirely sincere and his eyes held none of their usual playful glint.

Kai blinked, surprised and then nodded. “Thank you.”

“I’m just following orders, my lord.” He smirked and then spread his wings. “I’ve got some preparations to take care of first, but my battalion will be ready by the time the angel leaves.”

Kai nodded again and watched him leave. He wondered why Luhan suddenly became so agreeable. He supposed it was because he finally stepped up to the plate and took charge. He stared down at the demons below as they finished disposing the bodies and then slipped into his room, startling the several servants that scurried about washing off the blood crusted around Kyungsoo’s wrists.

Kai brushed them aside and peered down at Kyungsoo, who stirred at his touch.

“What happened?” He blinked his eyes blearily, trying to sit up.

“You were attacked.” Kai whispered. “But don’t worry it won’t happen again. I made sure of that.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. “What did you do?”

“That’s not important...what’s important is that you’re okay.” He turned to the servants. “You may leave.” They scampered out after bowing deeply. Kai watched them and then faced Kyungsoo once more. “You will be well enough to report to Heaven, tomorrow right?”

Kyungsoo blinked and nodded slowly. “But if I chose Hell, then why would I report to them?”

“Pretense, my angel.” Kai murmured and slid into bed next to him. He knew he should let Kyungsoo rest, but his body had other ideas. He ran his hand up Kyungsoo’s arm and squeezed it gently as he brushed his lips against his shoulder.

Kyungsoo shivered and pressed into Kai, arching his back slightly. “But they’d know if I was pretending.” He paused and then sat up suddenly. He pushed himself to his feet and unfurled his wings. He shook them and turned around. Nothing but soft down filled the air, which was normal. He turned to face Kai and frowned. “Maybe they wouldn’t.... none of my feathers have fallen even though I made my choice.”

Kai studied him with an unreadable expression. Could Kyungsoo be pretending right now? He scanned his body upwards and when their eyes met, his doubts were chased away. There was no way he could be lying to him...not with a face as open as his. His genuine confusion was so blatant, that Kai wondered how Kyungsoo would be able to pretend tomorrow.

Kyungsoo bit his lip. “Perhaps I can do this after all.” He retracted his wings and sat on the edge of the bed.

Kai wasted no time. He wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo and kissed the back of his shoulders. The night was filled with the sounds of their bodies becoming one.

~*~

Kyungsoo woke up to an empty bed and stared into the tinted darkness. His eyes glossed over the contours of the limestone walls and landed on the doorway where two servants were standing gazing at him in fear. He beckoned one of them over but they refused to move, saying that they had been given orders to wait until he awakened and to take him to his own chambers.

When they entered his room, Kyungsoo found it ransacked. The mattress and furs that cushioned the stone slab were thrown aside and the desk where he had his supplies for writing scrolls were strewn about the floor. On the wall was a message scrawled in demonic language.

_He will not always be here to protect you._

Beneath that there was a pile of feathers that seemed to have been plucked from his own wings. They spelled out the word ‘Soon’, and were blackened at the ends as if they had been burned. He glanced up to see Kai entering from the secret passage obviously agitated. He met his gaze and they shared a dark emotion between them.

Kyungsoo nodded and took a deep breath. He supposed a visit to Heaven would have to wait until everything was sorted out. “Did you find out who it was?”

Kai shook his head. “It wasn’t a demon, that’s for sure.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. If it wasn’t a demon then what was it? It could not possibly be an angel otherwise everyone would have been alerted of his arrival. Unless there were things going on in Heaven that he was no longer privy to know. If that was the case then perhaps he was safer in Hell than anywhere else. “H-how do you know?”

Kai nodded towards the writing on the wall. “The hand that wrote that is not used to the harsh edges of the language...it’s too rounded.”

Kyungsoo stared at the message and squinted. He couldn’t see anything wrong with what was written, but he guessed since Kai had been in Hell longer than he had, that he was an expert in that field. In fact, the longer he stared at it, the dizzier he felt. He was vaguely aware of Kai shouting his name, but after that everything went black.

_He was crawling through the bowels of Hell. One of his wings had been injured when he was battling above and he knew he only survived the fall because of his powers as Demon Lord. His side was giving him more pain than he could ignore and when he touched it, his hand came back with black ichor. He hissed and slowly stood._

_Across from him stood an angel of the Power rank, face cast in shadows and heavenly sword dripping with his blood. The angel advanced towards him and he barely dodged the attack, bracing his blood slickened hand on the walls. It evaporated almost instantly in the heat._

_Sweat dripped from his brow into his eyes, blinding him momentarily. He heard the rush of the angel coming towards him and held his breath as he waited for the blow. There was a soft chuckle and the Demon Lord could just make out the angel raising his sword. He waited until the last moment before he lashed out with the little power he had left._

_The angel flew backwards, slamming through stalactites and breaking his neck in the process. The Demon Lord watched him in disbelief. He slid down to his butt and waited to catch his breath as a strange hum began in his ears. His body felt like it was on fire and before he knew what was going on he glanced down and saw his skin glowing faintly._

_He heard a voice that was as sweet as sin whisper in his ear. “Good job. You’ve done well.”_

_The Demon Lord rose and glanced around to find the source of the voice but he couldn’t find anything other than the angel’s rapidly disintegrating body. He slowly approached it and when he reached the body it was nothing but a pile of golden ashes. He knelt and pinched some of the ashes in his fingers and brought it to his nose to smell them. It was the first time he had ever seen what happened to an angel’s body._

_He knew he was the youngest demon to have ascended the throne so he did not have much experience. But after killing the Demon Lord he once called ‘father’, he was given no choice. He rubbed the ashes between his fingers and was about to taste it when several servants burst in crying, “My Lord!”_

_He stood again and let them lead him from the bowels, but he could not shake the feeling that he was being watched._

Kyungsoo opened his eyes to find Kai staring at him with concern. “Are you okay?”

A strange feeling filled Kyungsoo when he turned back to the words on the wall. He tilted his head sideways and could make out a completely different message in angelic language.

_Kill the Demon Lord._

Ice filled his veins and he nearly fell to his knees. All his senses kicked into high gear and he nodded at Kai. “I’m going to report to Heaven now.”

Kai blinked and approached him. “Are you sure? You’ve only just woke up, my angel.”

He needed to get out of there. Everything felt strange and the longer he stayed he knew that something bad would happen. “I’m fine. I need to get this over with.” He cleared his throat and touched Kai’s cheek. “I’ll be ready to leave in an hour...I need to get my thoughts straight.”

Kai nodded and then kissed his forehead. “Okay, do what you need to do.” He turned to the servants hovering by the door. “Clean this room and seal it off. The angel will be staying with me from now on.”

Kyungsoo let Kai walk him back to his –  their –  quarters and watched him pace the room. “What’s wrong?” He asked, hoping that Kai would go into a long spiel about his thoughts so that he could decide whether he wanted to tell him about the hidden message.

“Nothing.” Kai said slowly. He unfurled his wings and stared forlornly at Kyungsoo. “I have business to attend to, be safe on your report.” He kissed him on the forehead and then leapt cleanly into the air and swooped around the stalactites as he flew out the exit.

Kyungsoo flopped on his back. “What do I do?” He whispered to no one. He felt a chill run down his spine as he remembered what he saw moments ago. He tried to make sense of it, but his mind could not possibly figure out why he saw what he did, nor how. He never heard of angels of his rank having the ability to see the past...that was strictly for the seraphim as they helped with the judgment of souls entering Heaven.

He especially did not know why he saw that scene. He supposed it was a warning of some kind. There was a dark force awakening and he had no idea what it was or if it had something to do with the strange behavior of those in Heaven.

He bit his lip and tried to think of what he would report as he pushed all thoughts of what had happened earlier from his mind. After gathering his thoughts together enough he decided that perhaps he had made the wrong choice in choosing Hell.

He was quite sure he was still wavering and had hoped that by telling Kai he made a choice that it would begin to feel more real. Yet, he knew that the twisting in his gut told him he still had not made a choice. That, and the fact that he still had all his feathers. He chewed on his lip and stilled his trembling hands. He had a sinking feeling that he would never be sure which side he had chosen until the very end. He just hoped that it would be the right one.

An hour later, Kyungsoo flew through the gates followed by a few demons that Kai had apparently assigned to him for safety. He felt strange having a group of demons following him, but he supposed a few bodyguards would deter any angels from being as harsh as they had been before.

When he landed at the entrance, he told the group to stay behind while he reported and that he would be safe inside the gates of Heaven. They nodded and bounced on their feet as they looked around. They seem antsy for some reason and Kyungsoo figured it was because they had never seen Heaven and all its glory before.

He found himself smiling softly as he entered the doors to the report room. He was met by the familiar faces of the Thrones he reported to and greeted them accordingly. “Throne,” he bowed deeply and kept his eyes from gazing directly into the silvery light coming from the eye sockets of the Throne.

The Thrones nodded in return and waited for Kyungsoo to divulge his report. Kyungsoo began with telling him of everything that had occurred since the last time he reported leading up to what had happened hours before. He skipped over the strange visions and acts of flesh he engaged in with Kai, but he was sure that the Thrones knew of said acts.

“I see you remain loyal to the Heavenly side.” The Thrones boomed.

Kyungsoo stared at the ground. “Yes, Throne.”

“I see the struggle within you,” the Throne continued, “dark times are ahead of us. We must remain strong in our faith and love.”

Kyungsoo nodded and turned to the door. “I know.” He wanted to leave the room before his guilt took him over. He slipped out and into a strange scene. He could have sworn he arrived with only three guards, not the couple hundred demons he now saw flitting outside of the angel’s entrance. He flew over to the gates and was about to land when someone collided into him.

He tumbled through the air as the perpetrator kept them locked in a swan dive towards the Earth. “Let me go!”

The demon laughed and planted a kiss on his cheek, “Tell Kai that he owes me one for this.” They continued plummeting towards the Earth and just when Kyungsoo though they would slam into the ground, it opened and he landed directly in Kai’s quarters.

The demon placed him gently on the bed and waved playfully before leaving again. Kyungsoo stared after in confusion.

~*~

Luhan returned smiling gleefully. He had safely taken the angel out of danger and was ready to wreak havoc on Heaven. He turned to face his troops and gave them the order to attack. While they flew around him in a frenzy to enter and destroy everything in their path, Luhan watched them with pride, much like that of a parent watching their child learn how to ride a bike for the first time.

He raised his arm and a building crumbled as he released a bit of his power. He knew that when they were done, the place would be a beautiful masterpiece of chaos. He glanced to his side to see Sehun battling three angels at once, grinning in a way he never did in Hell. Luhan knew he was meant for the battlefield, but he could not help feeling a bit of worry for his wellbeing. He knew they were demons, but demons loved too.

He directed a bit of his power towards the angel coming up behind Sehun and watched as the angel writhed on the ground, hands clutching at its neck. He then flashed Sehun a smile and went his separate way. He battled a few angels and then decided that he was growing bored and went in search of a more formidable opponent.

He thought about going after a Power, but he knew that would require his full strength, so in the end he settled for flying over the scene and simply watching the battle unfold. Everything was orchestrated so perfectly that he gave himself a smug pat on the back for thinking of the formation. He even gave Kai props for thinking of attacking Heaven first.

He knew that by the end of the day, they would return as heroes and Kai would be exalted. There was a scream from below that caught his attention and he felt his heart drop once he recognized who it was. The scene below swam before his eyes.

~*~

“Why aren’t you doing anything to stop them?!” Kyungsoo screamed.

Kai shrugged his shoulders. “Because it was my idea? Kyungsoo, I have to do something to disperse the doubt that has filled the minds of my subjects.”

“But you didn’t have to attack Heaven like that! They didn’t even have a warning!” Kyungsoo cried.

Kai narrowed his eyes. “That was the point of a surprise attack. I’m giving Heaven my answer.”

Kyungsoo stomped over to Kai and shoved him. “But I led them there! I brought destruction to _my home_!”

Kai’s eyes widened. “You still consider yourself one of them, don’t you? You never chose this side, did you?” He wasn’t sure what he was feeling at that moment. It was a mix between betrayal and disappointment as well as shame.

Kyungsoo’s face hardened. “As if I had a choice. After what I’ve done, I’d be surprised if Heaven would even let me be a messenger. That said, I don’t want them hurt.”

“We are in a war, angels and demons will get hurt. That’s inevitable, Kyungsoo.” Kai stated. His mind was trying to piece together everything. “Let me see your wings.”

Kyungsoo backed away, his stance becoming defensive. “Why?” He crossed his arms.

“Because I need proof. I need proof that you are not here to stab me in the back.” It came out as a whisper and Kai could see the fear on Kyungsoo’s face.

“I don’t want to hurt you. I love you, remember?” Kyungsoo started as he unfurled his wings. “But, I can’t make a choice. Heaven is all I have known and I’m scared, Kai I’m scared!”

“So, you choose them?” A tearing sensation in Kai’s chest choked off his breath. In the dim lighting of Hell, he could see the tears roll down Kyungsoo’s cheek. He wanted so badly to reach out and tell him it was okay, but he knew he couldn’t. “Tell me,” he paused and advanced towards Kyungsoo. “Tell me which side you have chosen.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “I can’t!” He ducked under Kai’s arm and with a few beats of his beautiful feathered wings, he was gone.

Kai stared at him, dread filling every inch of him. He was about to go after him, when Luhan appeared, covered in angel and demon blood, holding a limp body in his arms. “Do something! Do something please!”

Kai gazed at the pale face of Sehun. His eyes were shut and black blood was flowing profusely from a wound in his gut. Kai bit his lip. “I can summon the healers, but I won’t know if he’ll be okay until they look at him.”

Luhan nodded. “Okay.” His entire body language had changed. He was not his usual cocky self, his eyes darted from side to side and his breathing was labored. He rocked from foot to foot as he waited.

Kai summoned the healers to inspect and treat Sehun. When their icy forms entered the room, the air grew cold, ice forming on the walls and freezing Kai’s breath. They whispered in their wind like voices and carried Sehun with them out of Kai’s room. The cool air left with them.

He thought back to Kyungsoo and sighed. He knew he should go after Kyungsoo, but he honestly had no idea where he went and figured that he would come back. He felt a strange tingling sensation on the back of his neck and rubbed it, not thinking anything of it.

~*~

Kyungsoo was huddled in the same place he saw in the vision from earlier. Sweat dripped from every inch of his skin and the soles of his feet were burning through his sandals. He had no idea why he came to this place, he just flew blindly until he ended up here. He walked over to where he saw the body of the Power disintegrate in the vision and gasped as he found the outline of the body.

The golden ashes were scattered about and Kyungsoo knelt to touch them. His fingers glistened slightly as he rubbed the dust between them. He wiped the sweat from his brow and was about to leave when he felt the familiar hum take over his body.

_‘Aaaangel’_ The sickly-sweet voice whispered in his head. It felt intrusive as it threaded through his mind. It searched each memory until it landed on one of Kai. It purred.

“Y-yes?” Kyungsoo whispered. His body filled with a strange energy that was sliding between his bones, intertwining itself in the sinews of his muscles and caressing him from the inside out. The back of his neck tingled.

_‘Let me in, Angel.’_ The voice hesitated, _’I can give you what your heart truly desires.’_

Kyungsoo shook. He felt wrong, but at the same time he felt stronger than ever before. He almost let whatever it was inside, but then shut himself off at the last moment. “Who are you?” He shivered as the strange feeling left his body.

_‘An old friend.’_

Alarms went off in Kyungsoo’s mind and he started to back away to the exit. Sweat dripped down his back. “This feels wrong.”

_‘Sometimes the right thing feels wrong.’_

“No...” Kyungsoo unfurled his wings and started for the entrance to the bowels. Every angelic instinct was screaming in alarm.

_‘What if I could promise you that you could be with the Demon Lord forever?’_

He wavered and that was all the voice needed.

_‘What if I could promise you that you two could be together?’_

Kyungsoo considered what the voice was saying. If he could somehow get himself and Kai out of this war and they could live happily together, he would. But he knew there had to be a price. “What’s the catch?”

_‘Give me your body when I ask for it and I will make sure that you and Kai are together in the end.’_

Kyungsoo pursed his lips. He had no idea what it was he was talking to, nor did he know what exactly it wanted to do with his body, but he was so tempted. “And If I go through with this, you promise we’ll be together?”

_‘Yes.’_

“I’ll do it.” Kyungsoo agreed. He closed his eyes and the strange hum filled him. His body sang as it picked its way through every fiber of his being. Then, as soon as it had entered him, it was gone. Kyungsoo opened his eyes and looked around. He reached up to wipe sweat from his brow only to find none. It seemed he was finally used to the heat of Hell. He decided that a little exploring was in order now that he could stay down there with no harm done to him.

~*~

Kai whipped his head up when Kyungsoo entered the room. Something about him was off but he could not place what it was. “Listen, I’m-”

“I’m sorry.” Kyungsoo cut him off and looked at his feet sheepishly.

Kai studied him. “No, I’m sorry, I should not have yelled at you.”

“I started yelling first and I did some thinking and I understand why you did what you did.” Kyungsoo interrupted again and then approached Kai. He gazed up at him and blinked innocently. “If you’ll forgive me for my actions, I would be grateful.”

“Of course, my angel. I would do anything for you.” Kai smiled fondly and gently brushed Kyungsoo’s cheek with his thumb.

Kyungsoo suddenly pulled away. “Speaking of anything...have you ever heard voices while you were here?”

Kai froze. His ears rang in the silence and the hair on his skin stood on end. “What do you mean?”

“I mean down in the bowels of Hell...I heard a voice.” He refused to look at Kai which worried him.

Kai turned him to face him. “What did you do, Kyungsoo?” Fear was sliding up his body and squeezing his heart. “What. Did. You. Do.”

“I talked to it...it told me that we could be together if I made a deal with it.” Kyungsoo said all at once.

“No.” Kai let his hands drop to his sides. “No.” He repeated. The walls of his room spun. “You didn’t, did you?”

Kyungsoo chewed his lip. “Umm...”

Kai’s eyes widened. “Why? Why did you agree? Kyungsoo do you know what you did?! Do you?” He felt his pulse and voice rising. He was going to be sick. He knew what resided just under the bowels of Hell...he thought that it was dead.

“Because we can be together, Kai! No complications, no rules, and we can be happy and get out of this stupid war!” Determination lined Kyungsoo’s jaw. He had never looked so naïve to Kai than he did in that moment.

“That was Leviathan!” Kai screamed. “He was supposed to be dead.... Heaven killed him and Hell buried him. He was too much even for us to handle. Kyungsoo you’re not safe here, you’re not safe anywhere.” Kai shook his head. “I need to go and find out if there is a way to get out of this. Kyungsoo, this is bad. Don’t they teach you of the beasts?” He shook his head again and muttered, “Of course not. This is really bad.”

“Don’t you understand Kai? We can get out of this!” Kyungsoo shouted in return.

“Not alive we won’t.” Kai stated. He needed to get to the library quickly and look up everything on Leviathan that he could. He was going to need help from Heaven even. This was bigger than the war. This was the whole universe at stake.

“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo asked.

“I can’t explain it all to you. I need to call a meeting and get things in order. In fact, I need to have to bring a message to Heaven and-”

“I’m not going back. I made my choice.” Kyungsoo blocked Kai from leaving. “I chose neither side...I chose us.”

“No, you didn’t. Kyungsoo this is serious and I need you to go back to Heaven now. Choose them, be safe for my sake.” Kai begged.

“No.”

“Go back! I don’t love you! I was using you to get information on Heaven okay? Go back!” Kai screamed and threw his arms in the air. He knew he was going to hit a nerve by saying all of this, but he needed Kyungsoo to be safe and he had no idea what kind of deal Kyungsoo made. He sighed and watched as Kyungsoo stormed out of his quarters.

He sat down on the edge of his bed and stared at the wall. He needed to act fast for the sake of everyone and most importantly Kyungsoo. He was about to head towards the library when Baekhyun entered.

He groaned internally. He wanted nothing to do with him right now and in fact he was close to just blowing him off, but then he said something he had no desire to hear.

~*~

Kyungsoo heard Kai’s arrival and prepared for him to lecture him. He thought he was making the right choice before. He still felt as though somehow, he was right, but Kai’s reaction scared him. Part of him regretted agreeing to the voice’s deal but part of him felt so sure that he was right that it drowned out the regret. He knew that he wanted for things to just end so he did not have to be so conflicted by his emotions.

He felt Kai’s hand on his shoulder and when he turned around he let out a sob. Kai’s face was so stricken with grief that it pained him to look at it.

“It seems as though we’re repeating the cycle.” Kai murmured.

“What do you mean?” Kyungsoo whispered. He knew the look on Kai’s face would haunt his memories for a long time.

“I am the fifth Demon Lord, Kyungsoo. Apparently, Leviathan was supposed to awaken during the fourth, but he cut his time short. And you just gave him the doorway.” Kai stared into Kyungsoo’s eyes with a pain so strong it nearly knocked the breath out of Kyungsoo.

“What do we do?” Kyungsoo felt as though everything was crashing down around him. Instead of saving himself and Kai, he just made everything worse.


	9. His Greatest Downfall

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was posted in three parts, but on here it will be one chapter. It was last updated on February of this year but another update is coming soon!

Chanyeol sat down in the council room for the second time. The last time he was here was when he ripped the wings from the back of the demon. That time, he was before several Powers who commended him on such a display ruthlessness, but told him that such acts are reserved for the Thrones. Only they were permitted to rip the wings off of beings as it is the highest punishment that can be given. He remembered the last time someone had their wings ripped off – when Lucifer fell – and it gave him chills. He had not known why he committed the act. It seemed he had been completely blinded by his rage.

Three angels of Throne rank stared at him with cold eyes. Their mouths were pressed into thin lines and the chords of their neck were strained. He had clearly angered them. Chanyeol tried to shrink himself down under their gazes. They crossed their arms and their mostly white wings were folded behind their backs, just brushing the ground. One of them leaned towards him, his voice echoed loudly in Chanyeol’s ears.

“Arch-Chanyeol, it has been brought to our attention that you have indulged in acts of the flesh.” The Throne began.

Chanyeol nodded, “Yes, Throne.”

“You know this is a crime of high punishment, correct?” The first Throne continued and the other two simply nodded. An aura of power radiated from them, making the room feel suffocating.

“Yes, Throne.” Chanyeol cast his eyes to the ground. He knew what he did was bad, in fact it was incredibly bad, but it still felt good. There was no way something that felt so good, could be so wrong. But then again, acts of flesh were the precursor to becoming one of the Fallen and he did not want that. Yet, his mind traveled to the way Baekhyun arched his pale and lithe body beneath him. He felt a flush overtake him and cleared his throat, knowing that the Throne had seen what flashed through his mind.

Thrones were granted the access to the minds of those they interrogated to know that they were telling the truth. As angels never lied to one another, they hardly used it on them, but when an angel shows signs of slipping, they were obligated to take full measures.

The Throne’s face twitched and the others shifted behind him to make themselves more visible. “As we are in the middle of a war and need as many angels as we can get, we’re letting you off with a warning. We will claim it was a result of your distress from the events of last week, but we will be keeping a close eye on you. If you continue with this type of behavior, once this wave of the war is over, you will be put on trial for your transgressions.” The Throne leaned back, giving Chanyeol a final glare before closing the connections of their minds and leading the way out.

Chanyeol remained seated for a moment longer. His face burned from his lack of control of his thoughts. He knew that engaging with humans was bad enough, but Baekhyun was a demon, so he knew that regardless of if he continued his path, he was going to be put on trial and possibly demoted. However, he could not believe he had gotten off with a simple slap on the wrist for the time being. He expected a similar punishment to last time where he was put on surveillance until he was deemed safe to be released.

 But, he knew the Throne was right. Heaven needed their forces and Chanyeol did not have the desire to become one of the Fallen, so he figured they knew that as well. So long as he did not repeat his offense he could come out of the trial with a single rank demotion, but if he engaged with Baekhyun again, he knew that something would happen. He wanted to bring Baekhyun to Heaven’s ranks, but at this point, it would be impossible with the war.

The horn sounded outside, signaling they had a visitor, and Chanyeol finally emerged from the council room. He saw Kyungsoo being escorted by several Powers even though he was a full rank above them. Something seemed off about him though. Instead of his usual calm demeanor, he seemed very nervous. His wide eyes darted from side to side – much like how the angels were after the attack – and he had his hands clasped in front of him holding a scroll of swirling darkness.

Chanyeol contemplated waving to him, but he sensed something else strange about Kyungsoo that made him recoil. He was not sure what the feeling was, as he had never felt anything like it before, but it made his stomach drop so he slinked back into a small alleyway between the council room and the Tower, while Kyungsoo passed by. He frowned slightly as a group of angels followed behind him with holy water and poured it on the white cobblestone after each footstep, scrubbing furiously with hand-brushes.

He wondered when they started doing that, as they did not do that the first time Kyungsoo returned, and since Kyungsoo’s wings remained fully feathered, he knew he was not Fallen. When the group was out of sight, Chanyeol stepped out from the alleyway and headed to the Archangel quarters. He wanted to see how the rebuilding had progressed since their quarters was one of the most destroyed due to their location near the gate.

He rounded a corner and was met with a pleasant scene. Most of the debris had been cleared away and the walls had been fixed with more white brick. He could tell that the inside had been completely cleaned from his vantage point. He approached a fellow Archangel and nodded to him as he entered and turned down the hall to his own room.

It had been saved from most of the damage as it was in the back, nestled between the supply room and the exit to the courtyard. He pushed aside the white curtain that covered the doorway and smiled when he saw that everything had been left untouched since the last time he was there. He sat at the desk and drummed his fingers while he looked around.

The white bedspread was still perfectly made with the pillows looking freshly fluffed. The floor was free of any grit or grime and his desk was perfectly organized. He stared out the window into the courtyard and sighed. He knew he had to return to Earth to complete the mission he had been assigned, but that meant he would run into Baekhyun, and running into Baekhyun meant temptation.

~*~

Kyungsoo stared at Kai. “What if Heaven doesn’t believe us?”

Kai frowned. “Then we try our best to handle it.” He gently brushed Kyungsoo’s cheek. “I don’t want to lose you.”

Dread filled Kyungsoo as Kai got up and unfurled his wings. He hardly heard him say that he had business to attend to, and glanced down at his hands. What had he done? He balled his hands into fists. There had to be a way for him to get out of this. If only he listened to his gut when Leviathan spoke to him.

_There’s nothing you can do._

“I’ll find a way.” Kyungsoo replied out loud. He stood and dressed himself in the purple tunic that Kai had given him and tied the belt around his waist. He grabbed a scroll and scribbled a short message on it requesting help from Heaven, hoping they’d think it was Kai that had written it. He said there would be a truce if Heaven and Hell could come together to battle Leviathan. He knew he was pushing it, but he had to try something since he could not read the texts in the library without strange visions happening. Plus, he knew he needed to speak to a Seraphim to find a way out of this. The Seraphim were the oldest and wisest, so surely one of them knew something about Leviathan that Hell did not.

Kyungsoo then scribbled a note for Kai saying that he was going to visit Heaven to check their books and left.

He arrived at the gate and was met with a glare from the guard. In an instant, he was surrounded by various Powers, their armor clinking as they landed on heavy feet. Kyungsoo jerked in response, and met the eyes of each one. He was above them in rank – a Virtue – and yet they surrounded him like a lowly Guardian.

“Vir-Kyungsoo, what brings you here unannounced?” The tallest Power asked. His hand rested on his heavenly sword with underlying threat.

A flash of anger burned through Kyungsoo. Since when did Heaven treat its angels like this? He glared at the Power who had spoken and pursed his lips. He needed to say something that would get him inside the gates, but without too much notice. After a moment, he said, “I was summoned by the Seraphim.”

The power cocked his head. “Highly unlikely.”

“Why is that?” Kyungsoo challenged. The Powers closed in on him, blocking his view of the gates.

“We have just survived an attack brought on by _you_.” He shifted until his feet were planted in a fighting stance.

Kyungsoo smiled softly. They were expecting him to bring another attack. Yet, he was not even aware of the first attack until it was too late. Besides, if he could not talk to the Seraphim to get the Leviathan problem sorted, Heaven and Hell would have a lot more to worry about than a war. “I am your superior, I order you to let me in.”

The Powers paused, whispering amongst themselves for a moment, before splitting and following behind him. Several stayed near the entrance scanning the horizon, while the rest kept a close eye on Kyungsoo.

He had never felt like such an outcast before. Heaven was supposed to be a place of forgiveness and acceptance, not a place where their group was followed by angels who scrubbed the cobblestones clean with holy water after each step he took. In fact, some of the Powers glared at the angels and they relegated themselves to the very back of the group, dumping holy water onto the path far enough away to not disrupt the group, but close enough that Kyungsoo could hear each stroke of the furious scrubbing.

They arrived at the Seraphim quarters, and the sight brought bile to Kyungsoo’s throat. The outside wall was still unkempt, with bricks strewn across the lawn and rubble piled along the path. The gossamer curtains that decorated the entrance were singed and ripped to shreds. The fountains still had demon blood sitting in the base and were turned off.

Kyungsoo turned to one of the Powers, “Why hasn’t anyone cleaned this up?” The nausea rolled through him in waves as they passed through the entrance. The rooms were in disarray and blood had not been scrubbed away.

“Because it serves as a reminder.” Suho’s voice floated from one of the rooms. He walked slowly out of the back room, arms behind his back and his usual serene expression remained even when he met eyes with Kyungsoo. He dismissed the Powers with a flick of the wrist. “Thank you for escorting him to me, I have been waiting.”

One of the Power’s jaw dropped and Kyungsoo met his gaze with an innocent look. He knew he could count on Suho to make everything seem planned. He waited until all the Powers had left before addressing Suho. “Ser-”

Suho cut him off, “Please, drop the formalities Kyungsoo, we both know why you’re here.” His face had transformed. His eyes lacked the playful light and his lips were pressed into a firm line. Even his shoulders seemed stiffer and his voice terse.

“You do?” Kyungsoo’s eyes widened. Hopefully that meant Heaven could help him and that hopefully they believed him.

“I received word from the Demon Lord, and your presence here confirms it. I can feel it in your being.” Suho reached for Kyungsoo’s wrist and dug a nail in, releasing a bead of blood. Instead of it being shimmery gold, it was swirling with a dark purple before it changed to the shimmering gold. Suho frowned deeper.

Kyungsoo snatched his wrist away, rubbing the spot while fixing his gaze on Suho’s. “Can anything be done?” When he glanced down at his wrist, the skin had healed over and all that was left was a light pink mark. His heart rate sped up and his hands felt clammy. That had never happened before.

“Follow me, so we may speak in private.” Suho led him to a large room hidden behind his dresser.

Kyungsoo had never seen anything like it. The room was a second courtyard, filled with blinding light. He squinted until his eyes adjusted. “What is this?”

“It’s where we pray. It is said that here, we get a direct connection. It’s something that only the Seraphim know of, but as I am the only one right now, it’s pretty empty.” Suho’s smile faltered. “Funny,” He paused, “All the Seraphim were out when the attack happened. Usually there’s always one of us praying.” He muttered.

Kyungsoo glanced around. There was a stream of holy water coming from one end of the room. It did not seem to come from an opening, but it flowed strong. He briefly wondered if this was where all the holy water in Heaven came from when Suho began speaking.

“I brought you here, so that I won’t be overheard by the other angels.” He spoke in a whisper even though they were alone. “Something strange has been happening here in Heaven and I’m almost certain we have some _alternative ways of thinking_ here. Orders have been given out, but without a source.” He paused. “Someone or _something_ has infiltrated Heaven and I now believe I know who.”

Kyungsoo’s heart thudded in his chest. His legs felt weak and he slowly sunk to his knees. He stared at the stream, his reflection distorting itself whenever he moved his eyes too fast. His mind was reeling, and he knew that what Suho was saying was true. He had felt it too, the strange orders, the odd behavior of the angels, and he even figured that whoever it was, they were doing the same in Hell. “I know.” His voice was quiet.

Suho knelt beside him. “I have been searching the texts, I know of two ways to end this Kyungsoo, and neither will bring you happiness.”

Kyungsoo glanced at him, Suho’s face was filled with sympathy. It made Kyungsoo’s eyes prickle with the threat of tears. “I have to sacrifice myself, right?”

Suho nodded, “That, or kill the Demon Lord.” His voice cracked ever so slightly and Kyungsoo paused.

“I know you’ve done this before.” Kyungsoo stated, watching as the always-perfect-Suho blanched. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his reflection twitch, himself looking more and more like a horrendous creature. He knew there wasn’t much time left and it sent a chill down his spine.

Suho turned away. His eyes misted over with memories of something painful. He stood up and his completely white wings brushed across Kyungsoo’s knees. He gave no answer, but it told Kyungsoo what he had suspected. Kai was right, Suho had a past that was like his own. They were becoming more and more parallel. Not only did Suho love the previous Demon Lord, but he too, had fallen for Leviathan’s tricks.

Kyungsoo stood, careful not to have the stream in his line of vision. He placed a hand on Suho’s shoulder. “We can’t delay it again.”

Suho shrugged off Kyungsoo’s hand, his face pinched. “Then you know what you must do.”

Kyungsoo nodded. “Yeah.” He stared at his feet. “I know.” It seemed that no matter what he tried, he would never be with Kai.

~*~

Kai stared at the desk with the scroll on it. He was worried that Kyungsoo had not returned yet and waiting on a reply to his request. He slammed his fist down on the rock slab. How could he have been so stupid as to leave him alone? If he had gone after Kyungsoo, none of this would have happened. He should have stopped him from flying off. But, instead he watched him leave and was then distracted by a frantic Luhan.

He slammed his fist into the slab again, this time it left his hand throbbing. He let it drop to his side and glared at the wall. Taken from his thoughts, he heard someone approaching. The second their feet hit the limestone, he knew it was Baekhyun and Kai was not in the mood to deal with him.

“ _What the hell do you want?_ ” Kai growled. The sound of his leathery wings catching the air as he spun, echoed. He knew it came out harsh, but he really did not care.

Baekhyun smiled slightly and did not respond. Instead he gazed at Kai thoughtfully. This angered Kai even more. He was not up to playing games with Baekhyun. “I asked you what you wanted. Now you either respond or I throw you out.”

Another smile bloomed across Baekhyun’s face. “I just came here to congratulate you on the chaos you’re causing in the human realm.” He walked over to Kai’s bed and flopped down on it, the thin and soft blankets slid beneath his weight.

Kai stared at him. “What chaos?” He did not remember leaving any commands regarding the human realm at all.

Baekhyun opened one eye and watched Kai stare at him. “Crime rates increasing, revolts in countries, the beginnings of war. I must say you’re really giving yourself a great name among us _lesser_ folk.” He then closed his eyes and smiled softly.

If he had not sent out orders, then that meant that Leviathan was getting stronger. His power was seeping into the human realm, much like it did the last time he rose. “We’re running out of time.” It was the faintest of whispers and yet it held the fear of someone about to die.

Baekhyun sat up. He squinted his eyes slightly before looking around. “Where’s the angel?”

Kai sighed. “He returned to Heaven.” His wings twitched in anxiety and he glanced towards the entrance once more.

“For good?” Baekhyun perked up.

“No, he went there for help. Something bad has happened.” Kai continued to stare at the wall as though it held all the answers. There had to be something in the texts that was omitted.

Baekhyun turned to look at the wall and then back to Kai. “He finally betrayed you?”

Before Baekhyun could move, he was pinned to the wall with Kai’s arm pressing against his throat. Kai spoke in a hushed, but vicious tone. “He would never betray me.” ‘ _In fact, he more loyal than all of the demons here.’_ He thought.

Baekhyun opened his mouth to respond, but Kai continued. “A darker power has awoken and we are all in danger. He went to Heaven to request a temporary truce to take care of the situation.”

Baekhyun met Kai’s gaze. “We have to kill him.”

“Who? Kyungsoo or Leviathan?” Kai asked, releasing Baekhyun and pacing again. How did Baekhyun know what he was talking about? He eyed him curiously. Perhaps Baekhyun knew something he didn’t know. After all, he had been here in Hell since the third Demon Lord’s reign.

“Leviathan is back?”

 _‘So he doesn’t know_.’ Kai turned away from Baekhyun to hide his expression. “Kyungsoo’s the doorway…”

“You let this happen, didn’t you?” Baekhyun grabbed Kai and spun him around.

“I didn’t _let_ anything happen.” He snatched his arm out of Baekhyun’s grasp and pushed him back.

Baekhyun glared at him. “Then we’ll have to kill him.”

“You won’t touch him.” Kai closed the distance between them. He wouldn’t let anyone hurt Kyungsoo, not if there was a way to save him from this.

“If you won’t do it, then I will.” The threat laced his words like poison.

Kai grabbed him by the neck and squeezed. “I will kill you first, before hurt him.”

“You’ve really changed for the worst.” Baekhyun spat.

Kai smirked. “I’m just acting like a Demon Lord should.”

Baekhyun shook his head and pulled Kai’s hand from his throat. “No, you’re being irrational. We both know he has to die, before Leviathan gains enough power.”

“There has to be another way.” Kai whispered.

Baekhyun placed a hand on Kai’s arm. “It’s the only way.” With that, he left Kai standing in the middle of his room feeling as though everything was spinning. Kyungsoo put everyone in danger.

 

The sound of wings alerted Kai of Kyungsoo’s arrival. He turned around and gave him a sad smile. Just seeing him and knowing what he would have to do weighed him down. He waited for Kyungsoo to approach him first and enveloped him in a hug. He buried his nose in the dark tresses and breathed in Kyungsoo’s scent. He already knew he would miss his smell, but not for long. ‘ _I don’t want to live without you again.’_

The scroll of light tumbled to the floor and Kai broke their embrace to pick it up. His hands shook as he read. He tried to swallow but his tongue felt thick and cottony. A strange feeling swirled in the pit of his stomach. He glanced up at Kyungsoo, hearing only the rapid beating of his heart in his ears and let the scroll fall from his fingers.

Kai pulled him into another embrace and pressed his lips to Kyungsoo’s. The kiss was salty and wet. When he pulled away he saw that both he and Kyungsoo were crying. He wiped his tears on the back of his hand and held onto Kyungsoo. He listened to the dull bubbling of the bath springs and sighed.

Kyungsoo whispered. “I…I don’t want to die.”

The words struck Kai to his core and broke him. He held the angel tighter and tried to stop his tears from flowing again. They escaped before he regained composure and Kyungsoo looked up at him. He could feel their bodies shake with barely contained sobs. Everything seemed to be falling apart.

Kai stared into the angel’s wide eyes, dread filling his stomach and mixing with the desperation they were both clearly feeling. He pressed his lips together and took a deep breath. He had to maintain hope. Maybe if he went to see the Seraphim himself he could convince them to help him keep Kyungsoo alive. “We’ll figure something out.” His mind raced. If he could find a way to speak to Suho he had a chance, after all, Suho had been involved with the previous Demon Lord.

“I already talked to him, he said it was the only way. One of us has to die and if it’s me, then the cycle is complete.” Kyungsoo sat down on the edge of the bed and played with the silky sheets. “I made my decision Kai, but I’m scared.”

Their eyes met and for the first time since Kyungsoo had been in Hell, a few feathers fluttered to the ground. Kai bent and picked them up, hands shaking. He looked up at Kyungsoo, searching his gaze for deception. “Kyungsoo…”

The temperature in Kai’s room grew increasingly hotter and the air pressure rose until Kai’s ears popped. Kyungsoo turned to face Kai with a pained look in his eyes. It was as if he was battling inside his head and with each second that passed, he seemed to fade away more. His wings shot out and closed around them. His hands tensed, gripping the sheets between his fingers and he whipped his head forward, an ethereal glaze forming over his eyes. His voice echoed. _“I will rise.”_

“Get out of him!” Kai yelled, panic rising in his chest. A cold sweat broke over his entire body and he shuddered involuntarily. The immense power that invaded his room and pressed against his temples almost made him vomit from the pain. He briefly wondered how Kyungsoo handled it and then noticed several more feathers flutter to the ground. He gathered the feathers in his hands as more fell onto the sheets. He stared in horror.

 _“I will rise.”_ Leviathan repeated through Kyungsoo’s mouth. Kyungsoo then slumped over, balancing precariously on the edge of the bed, barely breathing. Kai had to get him as far away from Leviathan as possible and soon.

~*~

The red tinted light that Kyungsoo had grown so accustomed to, was almost too bright. He shut his eyes again before the ceiling spun again. A throbbing pain behind his eyes faded and he took a deep breath before cautiously opening his eyes again. This time he was met with a concerned gaze from Kai looking down at him.

“How are you feeling, my angel?” Kai’s voice was thick with worry.

Kyungsoo braced himself on his arms and slowly pushed into a sitting position. He felt Kai’s gentle touch on his leg and looked into his eyes. It hurt knowing that they were on borrowed time. Part of him had begun to like Hell, at least when he was with Kai. His body ached for and his heart longed for Kai’s. That connection had always been there, since the first time they met, and it was only now that Kyungsoo realized it. They were intertwined from the beginning. Everything that had happened was already decided a long time ago.

He looked away and cursed Suho in his mind. Why hadn’t he ended the cycle himself? If he had taken care of it then none of this would be happening. Kyungsoo frowned. Perhaps Suho had not known that the cycle ended with him and the Demon Lord decided to end his life thinking that it would take care of everything?

Kai touched Kyungsoo’s cheek. He stared at his legs – at Kai’s hand resting on his thigh. He glanced up and pursed his lips. “How much time do you think we have left?”

Kai looked away pained. He opened his mouth a few times to respond but nothing came out so he clenched his jaw and kept his eyes trained on the limestone floor.

That was all Kyungsoo needed. He slid off the bed and stood in front of Kai. He grabbed both of his hands and held them to his lips. “Let’s just enjoy tonight.” He kissed each finger.

Kai pulled his hands away and yanked Kyungsoo against him, pressing his lips onto Kyungsoo’s chest. “You will return to Heaven tomorrow.”

“Why?” He did not want to go back. He had made his decision to stay in Hell, and as the thought passed through his mind, a few more feathers fluttered to the ground. He knew his days were numbered, and until Leviathan gained enough power, he wanted to remain by Kai’s side to help him figure out a way to stop all of this, and to also just spend time with him.

Kai looked up at Kyungsoo and stroked his cheek. “It’s safer for you there. Much more than it is here. It always has been.” Kai frowned. “If I had never requested your presence here in the first place, none of this would be happening. It’s my fault.”

Kyungsoo shook his head. “No. It was my choice to let Leviathan in, even if I had no idea what I was doing, I still made the choice.” He touched Kai’s chin. “I want to be with you. I always have, and when given the opportunity, I took it.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Look where we are now.”

“I want you to return to Heaven and stay there.” Kai said, pulling Kyungsoo onto his lap. “Don’t sacrifice yourself.”

“I have to, or this will continue to happen.” Kyungsoo climbed off Kai’s lap. “If I don’t sacrifice myself, then the next Demon Lord will have to deal with this.”

“I know.” Kai whispered. “But this may be the only thing that brings Heaven and Hell together. Knowing that there is a threat bigger than our war will keep us on good terms with each other. With both sides fighting for the same result, we could save you, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo knelt in front of Kai. “I spoke with the Seraphim. He said it is the only way.” He rested his chin on Kai’s knee. “I don’t want to die,” He looked down at the ground. “I really don’t, but that way we know for sure it will end and Leviathan won’t even have the chance to rise if we take care of it soon enough.” His heart was racing, but he already knew that if he returned to Heaven tomorrow, he would ask them to end his life.

“He’s already causing chaos in the human realm. His rise is inevitable. Dead or alive, Kyungsoo, he has the power to destroy almost everything.” Kai stroked Kyungsoo’s hair and sighed.

Kyungsoo lifted his head to meet Kai’s gaze. “So it’s too late to sacrifice myself?” What would they do then? If it’s too late then how are they supposed to stop him?

“Our only choice at this point is for me to sacrifice myself and to hope that the next cycle can end it. If I sacrifice myself, it will weaken his connection with Hell and then our combined forces can overtake him and store him away until he awakens again.”

“How do you know this?” When Kyungsoo spoke to Suho, he made it seem like they had enough time for him to end it himself.

Kai stepped aside to reveal a scroll on his desk. “It arrived while you were unconscious. Inside it is the summary of several texts detailing how the sacrifices must take place.” He frowned. “We’re at the stage where only my sacrifice will work.”

Kyungsoo walked over to the scroll and stared at it. It was signed by Suho, but the handwriting looked off. A searing pain in his head caused him to drop the letter. He collapsed to his knees groaning. His vision went white.

~*~

“Suho, just what have you done?” The Demon Lord exclaimed.

Suho pursed his lips. “You should be happy Jongdae. I only made the deal so that you could join me in Heaven.” Why was the Demon Lord so angry with him? He knew that the texts stated that one of them had to sacrifice themselves when dealing with Leviathan, but he figured that if Heaven and Hell worked together, then perhaps they could get the attention of God and he’d intervene and lock Leviathan away and reward Jongdae with the opportunity to join their ranks.

“You know that one of us has to die, right?” Jongdae pressed his hands to his temples.

“Not if God intervenes.” Suho responded. It would work, it had to.

“Since when has God gotten involved with the affairs of Heaven and Hell? We have always been on our own since he cast out Lucifer. What makes you think he’ll come to our aid now?” Jongdae yelled.

 “Because not only are Heaven and Hell affected, but the human realm too. He’ll have no choice, Jongdae.” He walked over to Jongdae and caressed his face. “Then you can be with me in Heaven…”

Jongdae pushed Suho’s hand away; he was angry. “I can’t believe you did this. You know that if we cannot handle this war with Leviathan, that everything will be destroyed.”

Suho clenched his hand into a fist. He hated when Jongdae rejected his advances, but he really hated it when they fought. “What do you mean?”

“Leviathan sets off a chain reaction.” Jongdae sighed. “First, it’s him, and then everyone else follows. Do you want us to return to how things were millennia ago? Hell has finally gotten to a point where I can control them. The demons, they’ve become loyal to me. If I’m gone, it’ll be an all-out war between Heaven and Hell once more.” He looked at Suho. “And I can’t join you in Heaven. You and I both know that.”

“Well I cannot join you here. I’m too high of a rank now. I’m leading battalions and the angels trust me – more so than the usual trust – if I leave, doubt will spread amongst them.” Suho frowned. He knew he made rash choices at times, but he had been so sure that this plan would work.

“You’ve made a mistake Suho. This time it’s a big one.” Jongdae sighed. “I knew I had to look after you, but I never thought you’d be so naïve.” He pulled Suho against him. “Let’s just hope your plan works.”

~*~

Kai stared at Kyungsoo as his chest rose and fell. His nerves were frazzled and the tension in his shoulders was making his wings ache to be used. He wasn’t sure if he should touch Kyungsoo or not, but in the end, he scooped him up into his arms. He ran his fingers through his hair and waited for him to gain consciousness. “Don’t worry, everything will be okay. I’ll make it okay.” He kissed Kyungsoo’s hair. “I love you too much to give up.”

Kyungsoo stirred in his arms. He pushed away slightly and stared at Kai. His eyes held a million words but his lips were pressed firmly together. He reached for Kai’s hand and gently touched it. His fingers trembled as he laced them through Kai’s. “I love you too.”

Kai nodded. He realized that Kyungsoo had loved him ever since he laid eyes on him back when he was the angel, Jongin. He knew that Kyungsoo would do absolutely anything for them to just be together until the end of eternity. So, knowing that their time would be cut short in just a weeks’ time made him want to squeeze Kyungsoo even closer.

They were living on borrowed time and not much at that. He closed his eyes and held Kyungsoo in his arms for a few moments. When he opened them, he found a lesser demon standing outside his doorway. Reluctantly he stood up and waved his hand for the demon to enter.

“My Lord, there has been an emergency in the healer’s room.” Its face looked pinched, like it was trying to maintain an air of respect but also hide his fear. It seemed the demons had not forgotten Kai’s display of power not too long ago.

Kai sighed and reached for Kyungsoo’s hand. “Come.”

Together they flew to the infirmary quarters. Below the demons were fixing what looked like the remains of some type of rockslide. They all paused to watch The Demon Lord and the Angel fly over them. Kai looked to the lesser demon and raised an eyebrow.

“You’ll see sir.” The lesser demon pursed his lips the best he could over the protruding fangs.

The infirmary quarters were the coolest place in Hell. It was the highest level for ease of access to those wounded in the war. The temperature was also artificially kept lower by the powers of the demons that worked there. They were primarily ice based and translucent in appearance. How they ended up in Hell was a mystery, but Kai never questioned them as they healed the wounded.

The Demon Lord landed hard, his knees almost buckling once he caught sight of Luhan being restrained. “Unhand him!” The ice demons gazed upon Kai with their expressionless faces. Their many hands remained circled around Luhan’s arms, legs, and wings. They spoke softly, like the wind whistling through trees. “My Lord, it is for his own good.”

Kai studied Luhan. He wasn’t speaking, instead he was lashing out with his mind. It slammed against Kai’s barriers full of rage and despair. His eyes were red-rimmed and his chest was heaving. There was only one person who could elicit such a response from Luhan. Kai started running in an instant. He tore back the frosty curtains to each room to find him.

“No.” He looked on in horror. His stomach dropping to his feet and mouth running dry. On a slab of stone lay a body covered with a thin layer of frost. He remained rooted at the spot until Kyungsoo placed a hand on his shoulder. Together they entered and Kai fell to his knees.

He had not been that close to Sehun since he and Luhan had gotten involved, but he never thought he’d see him like this. He gingerly touched Sehun’s skin. The frost melted at the contact. He never meant for this to happen. If he hadn’t ordered the covert attack, he would still have one of his best generals. He would still have the sanity of his right-hand man.

Kai whipped his head in the direction of the entrance as one of the ice demons entered. “Is he dead?”

The ice demon seemed to ignore him as it touched where Kai had melted the frost. It waved its many hands over Sehun’s body and the frost grew thicker. “He did not survive the treatment.” It turned towards Kai and bowed. Sehun’s face looked peaceful. His eyelashes were frozen half circles dusted with frost. His lips were blue and his skin had never looked paler. Kai hadn’t noticed Luhan enter until he felt him hug him.

Tears streaked Luhan’s face. “I loved him.” He reached for Sehun’s hand and then stopped just before he touched his fingers.

Kai nodded. He stroked Luhan’s hair. “I know.”

Luhan inhaled slowly. “I will have my revenge.” His face was emotionless like the ice demons, yet his eyes held pain and anger.

Kai nodded again. “I know.”

~*~

Kyungsoo stared at Kai and the demon who clung to him. He had no idea that demons even felt human emotions and it made him wonder if he ended up in the wrong place from the beginning. He had always struggled with having emotions and hiding them. He had issues keeping them from ruining his rank and now that he saw that demons loved – not just the ones that were Fallen Angels – he wondered if he was meant to be a demon instead.

_There are reasons for everything, my vassal. You were meant to be my gateway therefore your fate was altered._

“You caused this?” Kyungsoo whispered. He did not want Kai to know that he was still being plagued by Leviathans voice. He wanted to tell him back in the room, that Leviathan read his every thought and felt his every feeling. But, he couldn’t bring himself to say so. He knew that if Kai found out, he’d send him away even quicker and all Kyungsoo wanted to do was be with him for his last night in Hell.

_In so many words, yes._

Kyungsoo grit his teeth. He had to keep himself from thinking of ways to put a stop to all of this while he was so close to Leviathan. He needed the distance of Heaven to block him out. Then and only then could he devise a plan. Until then, all he could do was wait.

Kai left Luhan standing by Sehun and put an arm around Kyungsoo. “That’ll be me by the end of next week.”

The pit in Kyungsoo’s stomach grew. He stared up at Kai. His heart squeezing. How could he have put their lives in danger like this? He caused Kai’s fall and now he would be the reason for his death. It was almost too much. Their eyes met and mountains of pain traveled between their gazes. It was utterly unbearable.

Kyungsoo let himself be led by Kai as they flew, hand in hand, as if even a moment of them being separated would be the death of them. When they reached the room, they simply stood, arms around each other, breathing in their scents and feeling the shaking of both their breaths. Neither cried, but the whisper of their impending demise hung over them like a fog.

Kyungsoo sat down on the bed and Kai followed. No words were shared. There needn’t be. For the gravity of everything that would fall in motion tomorrow was weighing them down. Kyungsoo was to be kept away in Heaven, while Kai worked with the Seraphim – most likely just Suho – to decide which sacrifice must be made to prolong the return of Leviathan the longest.

The softness of the blankets called to Kyungsoo. Maybe if he laid in Kai’s arms he could push the images of Kai’s lifeless body covered in frost. He pulled Kai down towards him and pressed his body against the Demon Lord’s. Kai was so warm, so…alive. And Kyungsoo could not bear the thought of being his downfall once more.

He closed his eyes and breathed in deep. He wanted to memorize Kai’s scent just like he had memorized his face and body. He inhaled again and again, and before he knew it, he was asleep.

 

~*~

 

Kyungsoo sighed softly as he awoke. He could not have been out long as Kai was still holding him, running his fingers through his hair, and staring at the wall with a faraway look. It pained him to see the only person he had ever loved in so much pain. He knew it was his fault, but he also knew that they were in way over their heads. Kyungsoo swallowed thickly and said, “Kai.”

Kai, who usually looked young, like a boy of barely eighteen – it was how old he was when he died and became an angel in the first place – seemed to have aged in the past few weeks. There were no fine lines or wrinkles to be seen, but his eyes held the pain and misery of someone who had lived through so much. He glanced down at Kyungsoo and tried to smile.

His eyes were just so sad and helpless that Kyungsoo couldn’t bear it any longer. He pulled Kai down onto him and kissed him tenderly. His breath was already labored with nerves as he wasn’t sure if Kai was up for this, but he kissed him nonetheless. He just wanted to be close to him, to feel Kai’s skin on his own. To feel the heat of their breaths mingling above their lips. To feel Kai’s beating heart match his own. He just wanted the intimacy. He wanted to show him just how much he loved him.

Kai returned the kiss with one equally as sweet. Lips soft and eager, they traced a path from Kyungsoo’s lips down his body. He breathed in deeply, inhaling the angel’s scent as much as he could. He glanced up at Kyungsoo, their eyes meeting and so many unsaid words passing through them. It sent a shudder through Kyungsoo’s body. Even something as simple as the way Kai looked at him made him feel more emotions than he had ever felt in his whole existence. Being with Kai was unlike being with anyone else.

Kyungsoo moaned as Kai took him into his mouth. Every swipe of that hot tongue made his toes curl. The sight of the Demon Lord himself doing something so submissive, yet so empowering only burned his fire brighter. He gripped the blankets as Kai hummed deep in his throat, giving the most pleasurable vibrations Kyungsoo ever felt. God, it was surreal, so intoxicating, and so lovely to have that sinful mouth wrapped around his cock.

He grabbed a fistful of Kai’s hair, not quite pushing his head nor pulling, but simply to have something to grab onto while Kai engulfed him deep in his throat. Each slurp and breathy moan that Kai released while pleasuring Kyungsoo made him groan deep in his chest. Sure, they had made love before, but this was something different. He felt closer somehow, as if he could almost hear what Kai was thinking. Kyungsoo pulled Kai up to him and showered his face, neck, and chest with kisses so desperate he practically breathing him in. Kai was his life, his death, his everything. He wanted to show him that he meant that much to him.

The angel held Kai close, chest to chest, simply reveling in the fact that these lips he was kissing were the only ones he wanted to kiss for all eternity. Those fingers that were laced through his were the only ones he ever wanted to be touched by. This moment was the only moment he wanted to never end, so that they would never be apart, ever again.

Kyungsoo found himself straddling Kai, lost in the heat of it all, his mind was in paradise, and not a single thought or worry could break through. It was just him and Kai and they were all that mattered. Not Leviathan, not Suho, no one could break this private moment. He lowered himself until he was prostrated on Kai and mouthed a trail to the Demon Lord’s groin. He teased the bit of skin by the shaft with light nips and quick swipes of his tongue. He wrapped his fingers around the warm shaft, feeling the beating of Kai’s heart with each pulse. Oh, he was aching to be inside of him, Kyungsoo knew it. So, when he licked the bead of precum that rolled down the head, he grinned at the moan Kai let loose.

The tenor of Kai’s voice was music to Kyungsoo’s ears as he swallowed around Kai’s dick. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the thick shaft stretching his mouth open. God, he loved the taste of him, it was delectable, so…perfect, that he could hardly keep from sucking with all his might. His fingers were soon covered in his saliva as he quickened his pace.

The way Kai’s dick hardened in his mouth gave him all he needed. He felt as if he was doing an act of God. To have his lips around that throbbing cock was glory itself. To taste the precum on his tongue was the sweetest ambrosia. To hear the music of Kai’s moans were songs of the angels themselves. It was divine.

He let the cock slide from his lips and lazily lapped at the tip, just on the underside, driving Kai insane. He could feel the tremors in his legs begin, he knew Kai was close, so he stopped. He wanted to prolong this moment as long as he could. He wanted his last moment with Kai to go on forever. Kyungsoo climbed back on top and his lips found Kai’s in the dim red lighting.

They kissed for what seemed like hours, switching from soft pecks to hard lip biting and sucking. They grinded their hard shafts against each other’s, slick with precum. Kai then flipped Kyungsoo onto his stomach and kissed his lower back. He ghosted his lips over Kyungsoo’s ass, and then spread his cheeks. He danced his tongue around the opening, teasing the pleading angel. He relished the begging and moaning as he finally brushed over it.

His tongue was so hot. Kyungsoo screwed his eyes shut and grit his teeth. It was so much pleasure, almost too much. He had never felt anything like that before, but it was amazing. He writhed and grinded his hips into the blankets, pressing his dick against them, aching for release. Soon there were fingers gently stretching him, coaxing him, and when Kai hooked one upwards, he saw stars.

Kyungsoo hissed quietly as Kai entered him. It stung, but it in the right way. He was filled and stretched. Slowly, Kai eased out, sighing through his nose as he did so. Hands gripped Kyungsoo’s hips and he moaned into the blankets as Kai pushed back in. God, he was so full. The pressure was growing and he could barely take it. He begged Kai to touch him, but his pleas went unanswered as Kai drove into him again and again.

It was fast at first. Simple fucking. But with each thrust, Kai lowered himself closer and closer to Kyungsoo. His chest was touching Kyungsoo’s back, sweat mixing, and labored breathing creating symphonies with every hitch and soft moan that escaped both their lips. “I want to see your face.” Kai whispered, pulling out and repositioning Kyungsoo.

His legs were weak, and his cock was ready to explode. He could feel it deep inside, just waiting to be touched. But Kai didn’t. He laid on top of him as he entered. Their faces were centimeters apart, noses almost touching. Kyungsoo’s whines turned into breathy exhales with just a hint of a moan. He locked eyes with Kai, gazing into them. Kai thrusts slowed to a steady pace. Their gaze never broke.

Kyungsoo arched against him as Kai struck his prostate. The release he wanted so much was so close, but then everything changed. Kai wrapped his arms around Kyungsoo. Their chests sliding against each other. This was different than before. This was real love. He had never felt so connected to anyone like this before. All he could think was, _I love you_ , and he knew Kai was thinking the same thing. It was as if he could hear his thoughts and feel his feelings. They truly became one.

Kyungsoo’s hips canted as he grew closer to climax. He felt Kai’s cheek brush against his and was surprised to find it was just as wet as his own. He gasped and tightened around Kai’s cock, feeling him throbbing as he was filled with his cum. Each pulse was accompanied by a jerk of Kai’s hips. In a moment, they were both still.

Nothing but heavy breathing filled the air between them. Kai remained on top of Kyungsoo. The angel could feel their hearts slowing until they matched. He kissed Kai’s neck and let the tears fall freely from his eyes. Never had he ever felt anything like that before. It was what made him jealous of humans, what made him defy God in the first place. It amounted to everything he thought it would and at the same time made him sad. It would be the first and last time they truly made love.

“I love you.” Kai whispered.

“I love you too.” Kyungsoo stroked Kai’s back. His body was much too weak to do much more. All he could think about was how intimate that moment was and how he felt such an overwhelming feeling of love that his eyes prickled at the thought. His body was positively buzzing but also numb and heavy. Even opening his eyes felt taxing. But he could help but want to stare at Kai for as long as he could manage. He loved him so much. And he didn’t want to lose him. But in this moment his brain was too fuzzy to comprehend what was going on.

“Please forgive me for this.” Kai said and then sat up, his face cast in shadows.

Kyungsoo gave him a quizzical look. Then everything went black.

~*~

Chanyeol followed the clanging sound of metal striking metal to the armory. It was one of the only places in Heaven that was not perfect and pristine. The work tables were covered with battered and blood-stained armor and weapons. Some of the weapons and armor were so degraded that they were hardly indistinguishable. The tables themselves were stained and burned in places where demon blood was left too long. Some had marking of the brands being tested while others were splintered and falling apart. This area badly needed some upkeep, but seeing as only three smiths worked here during the increased business, it made sense that they were falling behind on keeping it clean.

It was also the warmest area of Heaven. Some angels joked and called it “Little Hell” as it reminded them of the sulfuric heated depths below. The heat of the forge made everyone sweat by just being near it so it was no surprise that all the battle worn angels were covered in fresh beads of sweat while they waited to drop off or pick up equipment. The forgers themselves seemed immune to the elevated temperatures as they slaved hour after hour just to keep afloat.

Chanyeol nodded his head in greeting to the angels he passed by as he entered the smith’s shop. No one looked happy, in fact every angel’s face was drawn tight with stress or drained from exhaustion. Some limped through the doors after dropping off their armor and headed in the direction of the infirmary, while others simply waited around and chatted in hushed tones. When he entered, the whispers paused for a second before picking up again. Chanyeol wondered if somehow, they found out about his meeting with the Powers earlier.

Yixing looked up at Chanyeol as he neared him and gave him an exasperated look. He was already surrounded by armor and seemed to be bogged down by work. “Are you here to help, or to pester me?” He hammered out a dent in a chest plate furiously. Chanyeol noticed that his usual immaculate work was slipping in quality as he glanced at the finished repairs being taken to the pickup area.

Chanyeol frowned slightly and paused before speaking. He was a bit taken aback by Yixing’s cold greeting, but he understood it came from stress. He watched as Yixing removed a sword from the forge and placed it on the anvil.  “I need to pick up my old armor I left here a while back.” The thought of going back to the battlefield both excited him and made him nervous. He was excited because he enjoyed fighting, but nervous because he couldn’t imagine what he’d do if he saw Baekhyun out there.

Yixing’s arm stopped mid swing. He stared at Chanyeol for a moment, eyes widening, then set the hammer down. The sword was unfinished and still red hot – Heavenfire swords were made from special metals found in Heaven that took days to fully cool before being blessed – but that did not concern the angel. He briskly swept Chanyeol into the storage room. “I thought you were promoted?”

Images of a nude Baekhyun briefly flittered through his mind. He cleared his throat as his cheeks grew warm. “They need me on the field. I’m one of the best.” He looked to the ground as he gathered his thoughts. He just told a lie…in Heaven. Just exactly how much had Baekhyun changed him? Yixing nodded in agreement. His eyes showed his belief in Chanyeol’s words and that only made him feel even worse for lying. He knew that soon his antics in the human world would get out.

Yixing then pushed past Chanyeol to look out the door to make sure no one was nearby. He seemed jittery, Chanyeol noticed. The angel-smith’s hand trembled as he closed the door. How long had Yixing been this frazzled? The poor guy needed a day away from the forge if he was acting this strange.

“Are–?”

“There’s something I need to tell you.” Yixing cut Chanyeol off in a hushed whisper and raised his finger to his lips.

Chanyeol leaned in closer, not saying a word. He could still hear the clanging of the other smiths working hard through the door. He doubted anyone could hear them in here unless they were hanging out by the door and Yixing checked for that already. Something else must have him this scared. But what could it be?

Yixing wrung his hands and nervously licked his lips. “It’s some information I shouldn’t know, but sometimes Su-,” He cleared his throat. “Ser-Suho needs someone to talk to and…” he trailed off for a moment. “Never mind that’s not important.” He grabbed Chanyeol’s arm and pulled him to the farthest corner of the storage room. “I – I can’t speak it aloud.”

“Yixing you’re acting strange.” Chanyeol said. He gave the angel a once over and pursed his lips. “Are you sure you’re not overworked?” It had been a while since he’d seen the angel, but how had he not noticed the weight loss and lackluster appearance? Sure, he worked in the armory, but he usually looked so well put together that him having frizzy hair and bags under his eyes seriously worried Chanyeol.

Yixing sighed. “You’ll understand after I write it down.” He tracked down a scrap of scroll and drug a table over so he could write on it. The sound of him scribbling furiously was mildly calming to Chanyeol, but seeing how tense Yixing was growing with each word sucked all the calm from the air. His wings twitched with each punctuation he wrote.

Chanyeol watched him with concern. He was going to talk to the Seraphim about giving Yixing more aid in the armory. He had never seen any angel this distressed before and it worried him. What if it caused him to become one of the Fallen? They’d lose their best armor and weapon smith. And that would hurt them in the battle field. But most of all, he’d lose another friend and he wasn’t ready for that.

Yixing passed Chanyeol the scroll and began writing more on another discarded scrap of scroll. Chanyeol read over it quietly. It mentioned some type of monster called Leviathan and that it had been released by one of their own. Chanyeol glanced up at Yixing as soon as he read that, but the angel was writing with so much concentration that he didn’t notice him. Chanyeol continued reading.

The gist of the paper summarized that Leviathan had been an issue in the past and that both Heaven and Hell worked together to trap him before. Then it talked about how they trapped him using the death of the Demon Lord. But, it appeared that his death was delayed and that made the bonds that trapped Leviathan weaker than they would have been had he died on the battlefield with Leviathan. It was only a temporary fix anyway as God did not intervene with the battle and instead flooded the human world to rid it of all the abominations that Leviathan brought with it.

Yixing thrust the second piece of scroll in Chanyeol’s hands and grabbed one more. The second piece talked about how Leviathan could only be released by an angel and that the only way to destroy him was with God’s help. It went on to say that lately God had been quiet and that someone else had been giving orders and that it was believed to be Leviathan working through some of the angels in various rankings. That explained why there were no guards by the Seraphim’s when they were ambushed, as well as the way some Archangels were behaving on the battlefield.

When Chanyeol read the final scrap of scroll he almost dropped it. It only had one paragraph explaining that the only way Leviathan could be released was if a natural born angel committed acts of the flesh with a being of Hell. He knew he wasn’t natural born, but the longer he stared at the words the more his lack of human memories made sense. Maybe he was natural born, but no one knew? ‘ _I caused this?’_  His heart jumped into his throat and his ears rung. He locked eyes with Yixing and tried to step towards him but his legs wouldn’t move except to walk backwards out of the storage room.

He tripped over his own wings as he tried to leave the forge and landed on his butt. Everyone stopped talking and stared at him. The room was silent except from the hissing of water being poured on hot metal and the clanging of hammers. Yixing exited the storage room and gave Chanyeol a frightened look before immediately getting back to work. All the angels continued to look at Chanyeol as he sat on the ground, chest heaving. His hands were trembling as he wiped them on his legs to clean the grit off them. He stood up shakily and left the smith’s shop in silence. Everyone stared after him.

He ran through the streets of Heaven until he reached the Seraphim’s ruined quarters. He wasted no time knocking on the doorway to signal his arrival and pushed past the guards. “Ser-Suho!” He yelled as he ran through the torn gauze curtains that blocked off each room. He was almost at the main courtyard when the guards caught up with him.

“Let me go! I need to speak with him.” He struggled against their grip. He caught a glimpse of the red-haired angel and struggled even more. “Suho!” He screamed, dropping the honorific.

The seraphim glanced over at him and waved his hand to have the guards release him. Chanyeol stumbled and landed on his hands and knees. “I’ve done something terrible.” He glanced up at Suho and grabbed onto his white robes. “I unleashed a monster into the world.” He was hyperventilating by now.

“What are you talking about?” Suho reached down to help Chanyeol up. His face was emotionless and his hair was perfectly in place. He looked positively at peace but also strained at the same time. Like he was just waiting to explode at the right moment.

Chanyeol reached for his hand as he spoke. “Levi-” His fingers landed on air as Suho whipped his hand away. He pushed himself to his feet shakily. He could not have been the cause for all of this. There had to be an explanation. He wasn’t even all that into what happened with Baekhyun. Sure, he enjoyed it and it was pleasurable, but it wasn’t something he would go back searching for more. He had his taste and that was enough. At least he thought it was enough.

“Give us the room.” He said with another wave of his arm, the sleeve of his robe swinging as he did so. There was a terse conversation through glances and glares between Suho and the guards before they followed his directions. The guards left quickly, footsteps disappearing as they neared the entrance. It was silent for a moment before he gave Chanyeol a stern look.

“I’m in so much trouble, aren’t I?” Chanyeol whispered. Now he had to worry about what repercussions he would have after the battle for unleashing a monster. He knew he would simply be demoted from his current rank because of the acts of flesh, but unleashing a dangerous monster? He would probably have his wings clipped or worse: be banned to Hell.

Suho pursed his lips and whipped around. He looked like he was barely keeping himself from unraveling. His gate was brisk but Chanyeol could see the Seraphim struggling to keep his shoulders level. They entered Suho’s room and Chanyeol watched as he pushed his dresser to the side. There was a hidden doorway there. He fumbled with the knob before pushing it open. “We can talk in here.”

Chanyeol glanced around. The walls were white as was everything else in the Seraphim’s quarters. It was surprisingly bare aside from the soft grass and the river of holy water that flowed through. It was moving sluggishly slow at this point though. Judging from the banks of the river, it was also a lot shallower than it usually was. Chanyeol chalked it up to stress from the war. “Where are we?”

“That’s not important.” Suho snapped. He pinched the bridge of his nose in aggravation. “How do you know about Leviathan?” His entire demeanor changed. His shoulders were rigid and his lips were pressed into a thin line. Seeing Suho like this reminded him of the jokes that the lower rank angels would make about him being scary when he was angry. Chanyeol never believed them because the angel was always so calm and courteous, but now the rumors were confirmed.

“I was going to pick up my armor when Yixing pulled me to the storage room to talk to me.” He fished the scraps of scroll out of his pockets and handed them to Suho, who took them with trembling hands. Everyone was overworked because of the war it seemed. “If he wasn’t supposed to tell me, please don’t punish him. He seems like he’s overworked and isn’t in his right mind.” Chanyeol watched as Suho’s shoulders slowly slackened. He chewed on his lip as he waited.

Suho glanced up at Chanyeol and said, “That’s it? That’s all he said about it?”

Chanyeol nodded, not sure what to expect from the Seraphim as his expression had returned to its usual form – completely unreadable.

“What makes you think _you_ unleashed him?” Suho tilted his head to the side. He stood motionless, not even the slightest breath as he waited for Chanyeol’s reply.

“I…I think I’m natural born and…” Chanyeol brought his eyes up to meet Suho’s and then immediately returned them to his feet. “Well, I engaged in acts of the flesh with a demon.” Chanyeol then stared at the wall just behind the Seraphim. The overpowering guilt coursing through him made it impossible to meet Suho’s gaze.

“You too?” Suho yelled, gesturing angrily. “Can no one resist their charm?” He crumpled the scraps of scroll in his fist and approached Chanyeol. Rage rolled off his body in waves, each one slapping Chanyeol in the face with every step. Suho had to be one of the scariest angel’s he had ever laid eyes on and that included the Thrones.

The height difference did not make him seem less intimidating. In fact, it made him even scarier. Fear knotted itself onto every limb and fiber of his being. It took all the strength Chanyeol encompassed not to step backwards. He swallowed. “Ser, I didn’t mean to–”

“Who was it?” Suho pushed Chanyeol in anger sending him sprawling backwards and staining his white tunic green from the grass.

Chanyeol glanced up at the enraged Seraphim. “B-Baekhyun? I don’t know much about him other than that he’s a demon.” He paused. “An incredibly powerful one as I could not tell he was one until it was too late.”

Suho roared in anger. “Do they teach you nothing when you go through training?” He paced back and forth. “He’s the son of the first Demon Lord, for God’s sake!” He muttered a few things under his breath and then narrowed his eyes at Chanyeol. He was upon him before Chanyeol could blink.

Suho had dug his nail so hard into his arm that blood poured out. It was its usual golden color. Chanyeol scrambled to his feet. “What was that for?” He cradled his arm against his chest and put pressure on the wound.

He wiped the golden blood on his robe. “You didn’t cause this.” He shook his head. “Your blood is still pure.” He began pacing again. “How did you even meet this demon?”

“On earth. I was on a mission to recruit more angels.” Chanyeol answered. He gave Suho a confused look. He was the one who gave Chanyeol the mission.

Suho squinted his eyes at Chanyeol again. “Who gave you that mission? That’s for Cherubim to do. Are you a Cherubim?”

“Y-you did, Ser. You handed me the scroll of light with my new assignment.” Chanyeol scratched his head. He was the one who assigned him to Earth, how could he have forgotten so soon? ‘ _It must be the stress._ ’

Suho’s eyes widened. “Of course! I remember.” He bit his lip, for a split second and then stared at the ground thinking, his eyes moving rapidly as if his answer was written on the blades of grass.

Chanyeol frowned. Everyone was acting strange since he returned. “Ser?”

Suho blinked and his face returned to being indiscernible. “Return to earth and tie up the loose ends with the demon. You do not have feelings for him, right?”

Chanyeol shook his head. He wanted to save him, but that was all he wanted to do. “No, I just wanted to bring him to our side.”

Suho nodded and repeated. “Tie up the loose ends and then return to the battle field. You will remain Arch rank until I can speak with the Thrones about your _punishment_.”

“Yes, Ser-Suho.” He bowed with his head and frowned. They said he would have a trial, so hearing that he was to be punished made him pause. He thought about asking Suho about the trial, but he had already began writing a scroll of light against one of the walls, urgently.

“You’re dismissed.” Suho waved and then stopped. “Wait, send Yixing here. Tell him to bring the others.”

“What others?” Chanyeol asked hoping to get some insight. He knew it was futile, but it didn’t hurt to try.

Suho just gave him a look that said he was crossing a line.

“Right.” He turned to leave. “You’re sure I didn’t release him? Leviathan?”

“I’m positive. We already have the perpetrator on their way here to be taken care of.” Suho said.

With that Chanyeol left the Seraphim’s area. There were so many thoughts going through his mind. First, he had no clue that the Seraphim had a secret room, let alone any of the interworking of the angels ranked above him. It made him wonder just how much was hidden from the lower ranks and why such things were hidden.

Aside from that, he was going over their conversation when it dawned on him. The only other natural born angel who would have had contact with a demon was Kyungsoo. A cold sweat beaded on the back of his neck and his hair stood on edge. It explained the different aura about him. It explained why the angels poured holy water after him. It explained nearly everything. The chaos in Heaven, the attacks that happened after his last visits, as well as the overwhelming sadness that his eyes exuded.

Chanyeol stopped dead in his tracks as he caught sight of an old friend. He looked like Jongin, but everything about him was different. He had the same face, but he looked hardened somehow. As if he had gone through a million lives in the time he had fallen from Heaven. Chanyeol supposed that was what happened to the Fallen – Hell wasn’t supposed to be easy to live in.

Perhaps it was his attire – the deep purple robes he wore, with black colored bones accenting the neck. He wore a headpiece that was made from spiked obsidian. And the most striking thing about him, his wings: they were loosely tucked behind his back, showing off their horrific grandeur. The leathery skin looked both soft and alarming. At every point of his wings were dark, sharp boney protrusions; they dragged across the white cobblestone, leaving deep gouges. His expression was of royalty, but the depths of his eyes held insurmountable pain. His skin was nicely tanned and glistening slightly with a thin sheen of sweat.

He was carrying a pale limp body in his arms. It took a moment for Chanyeol to realize it was Kyungsoo. He wondered why he was unconscious and squinted to make sure it was really Kyungsoo when a guard passed in front of his view. He moved to the side and locked eyes with him. Chanyeol could see a brief flash of sadness before they hardened over. The Demon Lord turned away from him and was surrounded by the guards, blocking him completely from prying eyes of curious angels.

Chanyeol gasped. They were going to kill Kyungsoo.

~*~

Kai stared at Kyungsoo’s limp form before him. He loved him so much. Every strand of black hair on his head, his perfect heart shaped lips, his soft skin, and even the tenor of his voice made Kai’s very being sing. Ever since Kyungsoo arrived in Hell, all he wanted was to be with him, but it was being with him that led to their undoing. The irony made Kai’s heart squeeze. It appeared that every power of the universe was determined to keep them apart.

 The stone fell from his hand and clattered on the limestone. He slid to his knees by his bedside and gazed at Kyungsoo’s closed eyes. He traced the lashes with his finger before dropping his hand to his side. A sigh slipped through his lips. He was grateful that he managed to only make Kyungsoo sleep. Using demon powers on angels, even ones as simple as putting one to sleep were extremely risky. He had to hold the stone to help disperse the brunt of his powers to the inhabitants of Hell, so that Kyungsoo was only hit by the smallest fraction and simply knocked out.

He stared at the sleeping angel, unsure if what he was about to do was the right decision. He watched as Kyungsoo’s breaths even out and pushed himself to his feet. At least he was still alive. He just hoped he hadn’t put him in any more danger by exposing him to demon powers while being the vassal of Leviathan.

He gently dressed Kyungsoo in his white tunic and then dressed himself in the most conservative garb he owned. He had long flowing purple silk robes. He grabbed the bones of protection – he read about how they would keep him safe while in Heaven if anyone should try to harm him on his stay; it was unclear if the bones had powers themselves or if it was simply old demon lore – and slid them around his neck. They tingled slightly where they touched his skin, but that was it. He grabbed the obsidian crown that was bestowed upon him when he rose to the throne.

_Kai’s heartbeat thumped in his ears. He stared at the Demon Lord’s lifeless body in disbelief. He thought he would at least put up some fight, but he simply let Kai slit his throat. And for a split second, Kai could have sworn that he saw a faint smile dance upon the now deceased Demon Lord’s lips._

_Kai jumped as loud horns blasted through all of Hell. All had been silent except for the gurgling sounds of the springs. Baekhyun appeared out of the shadows with a wicked grin on his face._

_“You did it.”_

_Kai stared at the blade, dripping with the black blood of his predecessor. “Yeah. I did.” He turned it over in his hand, catching his reflection. His disbelief waned when he noticed just how much he had changed. Gone was the innocence of Heaven. It had been replaced by the hardness of Hell. He looked older, yet he showed no signs of ageing. His face looked so cold and devoid of emotion that it almost rendered him unrecognizable._

_Baekhyun stared at him with a look mixed with bemusement and disdain. “Don’t look so sad. He was a sorry excuse for a leader.” He walked over to Kai and rubbed his shoulders. “You’ll lead us to greatness. I’m sure of it.” He gently kissed his neck as his fingered worked wonders on Kai’s tense shoulders._

_Kai shook his hands off him. He felt strange about how easily the Demon Lord gave up. It made him wonder just what he had gotten himself into. But none of that mattered now, he would get his revenge. He laid the knife on the desk and turned his back to the lifeless body. It was time he showed Heaven who they were messing with. He exhaled, composing himself and walked to the entrance._

_There was a crowd of demons milling in the town square. It seemed that the brawls and carnage has paused when the horns sounded. The only sounds were their hushed whispers and the crackling of the flames as they burned.  All their eyes were on Kai as he made his way to the throne. A quiet rumble among the crowd grew into shouts, some in praise, others in rage, as he sat down._

_The servant demons flitted out, carrying a black crown made from obsidian. They lowered it on Kai’s head and then bowed. Kai watched as the rest of Hell’s inhabitants bowed as well. He could hear the grumbles of distaste even as they lowered their heads in respect. The tension was palpable._

_He was the new Demon Lord._

Kai blinked and set the crown on his head. He knew he looked particularly regal, and that was what he was going for. He knew he would be in front of Seraphim and Thrones and he needed to look as powerful as he could. He wanted to instill fear in their eyes at his very presence as well as well as command their attention.

When he finished dressing, he glanced over at Kyungsoo so and sighed. He hated that he had to have him locked away, but it was the only way he would be safe. He ran a finger down Kyungsoo’s face and picked him up. He cradled him in his arms first, just enjoying the contact between them, before he headed to the entrance.

He caught sight of dozens of demons passed out in the streets and spread his wings. They’d wake up soon enough. Hopefully after he returned, but either way, Kai’s main concern was Kyungsoo. Each beat of his leathery wings took them higher and higher until he reached the gate. It opened and soon he was flying up through the earth towards Heaven.

He took his time flying as it was his last moments with his love. He found himself watching the humans in horror as he flew. The chaos Leviathan was causing was insurmountable. He could barely see the ground through the haze of smoke. Sirens and explosions were the only sounds he could distinguish. Jets whizzed by him, shooting down at the ground below. It seemed all of earth was at war.

He arrived at the gates of Heaven and was greeted by a group of angels. They looked upon him in a mix of disgust and fear on their faces. Their voices lowered to a whisper as Kai landed gracefully, carrying Kyungsoo. One reached for the sleeping angel, but Kai lashed out with his power, incapacitating the angel. He fell to his knees, gripping his head. The other guards rushed towards Kai, but Kai spoke. “Do not touch him.”

They paused, unsure of what to do, when the Gate creaked open behind them. A look of confusion was shared between them. Instead of charging Kai, they stood, dumbfounded while he walked through the gates.

Heaven had not changed much. It was still just as pristine as ever, aside from the remains of the damage he had caused. A hush fell over everyone as he passed by them. He walked down the cobbled road unbothered by everyone. They simply stared at him in awe followed by distaste once the initial shock disappeared.

Kai rounded a corner and locked eyes with an old friend. It was a mystery how Chanyeol had remained in Heaven after dealing with Baekhyun. Even he himself fell for his charms, so how was it that this angel was immune? He thought back to how they would often hang out and talk about the people they were guarding. The jokes they made, the late nights spent talking about what they would do if they were humans. They would gossip about the other angels and share secrets.

It was Chanyeol who told the Seraphim about the inappropriate relationship between Kai and Kyungsoo. Kai remembered the instant regret he felt when he let it slip that he and Kyungsoo would kiss in the fog. The look of utter disbelief and confusion on Chanyeol’s face was all he needed to see to know that he was in trouble. He remembered begging him not to tell anyone. Yet it was only a week later, when Kai was to be reassigned to Archangel duties, thus separating him and Kyungsoo. Now they were on opposite sides and while Kai held no ill will towards the angel, he knew that once this Leviathan issue was dealt with – and if he survived it – they would meet on the battlefield.

He felt Kyungsoo shift in his arms and glanced down at him. When he looked back up, he caught Chanyeol’s gaze again. If only he had not refused his orders he might not be in the situation he was in now. To be forced to lose one’s true love was hard, to know that it was a direct effect of one’s own choices made it harder.

The guards – apparently gathering their senses – surrounded him as he walked to the Seraphim quarters. Kai let out a bitter laugh at how well he still remembered the layout of Heaven. The angels talked loudly about him as they escorted him. But they may as well have been talking about the weather. Kai’s mind was so preoccupied with the sleeping angel in his arms that nothing broke through his thoughts.

They arrived at the Seraphim quarters and were greeted by a group of Powers and Suho standing at the entrance. He glanced up from Kyungsoo’s face and met Suho’s eyes. Their gaze transferred a billion emotions and finally landed on betrayal.

“I’ll take it from here.” Suho said. He glanced over the crowd of angels that had gathered and they dispersed. Once again, he met Kai’s eyes with something just short of pure animosity and then promptly turned on his heel, his robes billowing about him.

Kai gave one final look towards the dispersing angels and followed Suho. He paused when he felt Kyungsoo stir in his arms and readjusted him so he was jostled less as he half ran to keep up with Suho. They passed a series of doors – all of which were shut – before coming upon a large set of black iron gates blocking a huge white maple archway. Kai squinted at the gate, not quite remembering them ever being there.

Suho turned his head slightly to address Kai and sneered, “After your stunt, we had to up the protection around here.” His tone dripped with barely contained anger.

Kai winced. He had not been present for the slaughter that took place in Heaven and the reports he received were undoubtedly in favor of his army, so while he was pleased that he was finally being taken seriously, he still felt a tiny bit of remorse over the brutality of it all. However, the feeling was short-lived as Suho waved his hand in front of the gate and it creaked open to reveal several huge angels of Throne rank sitting at a large deep red, rectangular table.

The entire room contrasted deeply with the rest of Heaven. Unlike the stark whiteness outside the room, everything was dark hues of purple and red. It was a peculiar sight especially since it resembled many of the rooms in Hell. The only difference was that the ceiling was speckled with many stars and large gas formations. It took him a second to realize that the ceiling was what humans called their home galaxy, the Milky Way.

“We wanted you to feel at home here.” A loud voice rumbled from behind Kai.

He spun around and was greeted by another Throne in dark robes His nearly white wings were a stark contrast. Kyungsoo shifted again in his arms and Kai looked down at him. In this moment, he looked so serene, as if he were not possessed by Leviathan. Those full heart-shaped lips looked so soft and if Kai could just place one last kiss upon them he could return to Hell and end his existence in peace.

Suho cleared his throat and Kai glared at him. There were so many things he wanted to say to him but right as he opened his lips, the Throne spoke.

“You have brought a great evil upon us.” The Throne in front of him stepped towards him.

Kai tightened his arms around Kyungsoo. He glanced at Suho.

Suho waved his hand at the Throne dismissively. “I am your Seraphim. Whatever I decide to bring here – evil or not – is of my own discretion.”

The Throne remained standing in front of Kai. Its face was grim. Being the protectors of God’s will and implementers of his judgment, Thrones were usually feared by the other ranks of angels – excluding Suho – because they had the authority to carry out orders even above angels of higher ranks. After a few moments, it stepped back and returned to the table where the other Thrones were sitting and kept a hard gaze on Kai and Kyungsoo.

Suho gestured towards Kai and spoke, “The Demon Lord is here on my request.” He paused as the Thrones glanced between each other and then continued, “Leviathan has awakened and the angel he is carrying is his vassal.” Suho then recounted everything that he knew about Leviathan’s awakening and about the cycle, leaving out his own involvement.

Kai shifted Kyungsoo in his arms. They were getting tired at this point, but he refused to release his hold on him, because as long as Kyungsoo was in his arms, he knew he would be unharmed.

“The Demon Lord has a proposition however,” Suho nodded at Kai.

Kai cleared his throat. “In exchange for his safety here, the inhabitants of Hell would like to join forces with the Heavenly forces to destroy Leviathan once and for all.” He shifted Kyungsoo again. “So long as I have Heaven’s word, my army will not attack Heaven for as long as we work together.” He made sure to add the qualifier to cover his bases. He then spoke again, “We already know that the circumstances at this point involve my death ultimately, but perhaps if we work together we can defeat Leviathan once and for all.” He thought, _‘And hopefully neither of us will die.’_

The Thrones began speaking all at once. Kai watched anxiously as they gestured tensely and spoke in hushed tones. He glanced over at Suho with a questioning look, but the Seraphim kept his gaze on the Thrones as if he was trying to will them to agree to the terms presented.

In his arms, Kyungsoo moaned softly. The room went silent and the Thrones stared at the angel in Kai’s arms. “You say Leviathan’s reach is weakened here, yes?”

Kai nodded his head. “Yes, I can feel that it’s weakened.”

The same Throne spoke again, “Feel? Are you connected to Leviathan as well?”

Suho answered instead. “No, he isn’t, but the texts say that his power cannot penetrate the realm of Heaven so long as he is still imprisoned.”

Kai furrowed his brows. He knew that due to Suho’s history with Leviathan, that he could still sense him. He wondered if the Thrones knew as well and were simply skirting the fact that the sole angel above their rank had a history very similar to the one in his arms. Or perhaps this was another one of Suho’s secrets that he kept from the rest of Heaven. _‘How did he ever end up being a Seraphim with such a dirty past?’_

Kai glanced as the Thrones bowed their heads. The air around seemed to shimmer for a second as they spoke in unison. “For it is God’s will, it will be done.”

Suho smiled and then bowed in respect to the Thrones. “Thank you.” He whirled around and started towards the door.

Kai glanced between Suho and the Thrones and then ran after the Seraphim. “So, he’s safe?”

“For now.” Suho kept walking.

The doors they had passed by earlier were all open as the Throne exited behind him. They each went to their respective rooms and then shut the doors once more. Kai stopped. “For now?”

Suho turned to face Kai. His face was stern. “There is no way of telling if we will even be successful. So, yes, for now he will be safe.” He bit his lip, “But he must stay in the tower, where we house the enemies of Heaven.”

Kai nodded. “That way he will be off the battlefield.”

“Yes.” Suho stated. But his eyes held an uninterpretable message behind them.

The Demon Lord nodded again and then followed Suho towards the tower. He had only been near there once, as a guardian angel, during his tour of Heaven. Back then he was simply told that it housed any traitors to Heaven and that he needed to stay away from it. But as he approached it, his stomach filled with dread.

The white stone walls went on for what seemed like miles. Its peak was not even visible from the ground. It was easily the highest place in Heaven as well as the most protected place. Thousands of Powers circled around the tower, their eyes glowing with Heavenly light as they scanned the tower and its inhabitants.

When Kai and Suho stopped at the entrance way he frowned down at Kyungsoo. This was the last time he would ever see him. He sank to the ground and stroked Kyungsoo’s cheek. He leaned down and whispered into his ear, “I love you.” He then glanced up at Suho and nodded.

Two Powers descended and took Kyungsoo from his arms. Pain filled him as the doors shut. He swallowed thickly a few times and then turned to Suho. “You better know what you’re doing this time around.”

Suho feigned innocence and tilted his head. “This time?”

“Jongdae kept all of your letters.” Kai then stepped closer to Suho “And you should already be aware of the visions I told you about.” He briefly thought of the scrolls he had written to Suho after the first vision took place and revealed Suho as the previous vassal.

Suho cleared his throat and smoothed his robes, his face was expressionless. “I want this over with just as badly as you do.” He picked off a nonexistent piece of lint from his sleeve. “Now return to Hell and wait until I call for you again.”

Kai pursed his lips. “I am keeping your secret so long as this works, Seraphim. But if I catch one whiff of deceit, I will not hesitate to turn on you. And you’ve only seen a fraction of what power I bring.” With that said, Kai turned and left. Yet, he could not shake the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

 

~*~

 

 

Baekhyun chewed on a toothpick as he walked down the barren street. It was littered with fallen bits of buildings. Cars parked haphazardly in the streets as the owners had abandoned them when the bomb dropped. He could feel the remains of the radiation in the air. While it had no effect on him, he knew that any prolonged time spent in this location would bring about the Demons of War and he really did not want to deal with them. Not now at least. Still he wanted to check the little bakery to see if Chanyeol had returned. Of course, it would not make sense if he did as this town was now ground zero for the nuclear bomb, but one could only hope.

It had been weeks since he had seen him and while he knew not to develop feelings for humans, he could not help but become fond of the tall gangly man. Something about his wide smile and kind eyes just made Baekhyun want to corrupt him in all the worst ways. He sighed and kept walking down the street.

The place where the bakery stood had been completely reduced to rubble. A pang fought its way through Baekhyun as he gingerly stepped through the wreckage. The only standing wall had piping sticking out the sides and top. Broken pieces of chairs and wood were singed and the air was thick with the smell of burnt plastic. The baking appliances were dented and torn. Metal teeth surrounded a hole punctured in the side of an oven.

A siren went off in the next city over and Baekhyun’s keen ears picked it up. He unfurled his wings and hovered for a second before flying towards the city. Flocks of birds swarmed through the air and hundreds of people poured out into the streets. Military vehicles barricaded the streets and pointed rifles at the crowd of people. They were being sorted and loaded into the trucks. Some of them fought and others cried and handed over their children. One by one the vehicles drove away and the crowd dwindled to a few stragglers crying in the streets.

One individual looked up at Baekhyun and screamed. Baekhyun smiled softly at the chaos and then wriggled his fingers at the person screaming in horror at him. He whipped his head to the side as another siren started blaring and the people scrambled into the houses – except for the one person who was now simply staring at Baekhyun. The sirens continued to grow louder until it began to bother Baekhyun’s ears. Yet, he did not leave as he wanted to see the explosion up close.

After hovering for what seemed like forever, an object followed by a plume of smoke raced towards the ground. It was another small nuclear bomb. Baekhyun watched with fascination as the bomb plummeted towards the earth. The human remained glued to his spot on the ground, eyes focused on Baekhyun hovering about fifty feet above him.

There was a bright flash and a roaring thunder as the bomb collided with the earth. Baekhyun saw as the human was incinerated in the fallout from the bomb. The houses were blown to smithereens and cars and trees were whipped into the air. The moment lasted much longer than Baekhyun had anticipated but when the air cleared, below him was nothing but ashes and blackness. 

Satisfied he returned to his previous city and heard a twinkling sound. He followed it until he was face to face with some wind chimes hanging off a tree. They twinkled gently as the waves from the bomb hit this deserted city. Baekhyun smiled at the sound.

He stood there listening to them chime as blast after blast of wind hit them. The air was thick with dust and debris but in the distance, there was a winged figure approaching. Baekhyun squinted and called out to Kai as he passed over him. The Demon Lord pointedly ignored him and continued flying. Baekhyun decided it was time to head back to Hell to speak with him once more. 

While he enjoyed the chaos in the human realm as much as any other demon would, if the humans obliterated each other completely, Heaven and Hell would be in a lot of trouble from God and perhaps he would simply destroy everything and start over from scratch as the myths had said he’d done before. Either way he had to convince Kai to kill Kyungsoo so that Leviathan could not rise and make way for the other beasts to rise as well.

He turned his attention from the sky and glanced back at the chimes once more. He ran his fingers through them and then sighed. He knew Kai would never agree to kill the angel, but he figured he had one last time to convince him before he took matters into his own hands.

“Hey.” A voice from behind him called.

Baekhyun spun on his heel. It was the human from the bakery. “Chanyeol?”

Chanyeol nodded and remained standing where he was. “I have something –”

Baekhyun wasted no time and walked over and kissed him. Chanyeol was intoxicating. The taste of his mouth and the softness of his hair woke something up in Baekhyun that he had now known had existed. When he pulled away, Chanyeol was frowning at him. “The radiation will make you sick…” he trailed off. “Wait, how come you haven’t been evacuated?” Gears shifted in Baekhyun’s head as his thoughts raced. Kai’s warning about Chanyeol being an old friend forced its way to the front of his mind. Kai was a fallen angel, and if he and Chanyeol were old friends, then Chanyeol must also be a fallen angel. But, why had he not seen him around Hell?

Chanyeol opened his mouth a few times but no words came out. He stared at the ground and slowly, feathered gray speckled wings unfurled behind his back.

“No.” Baekhyun shook his head. Nausea hit him much stronger than the fallout from the bomb did. He doubled over and retched – nothing but bile came out. “No. No, no, no!” He vomited again and then stepped backwards, increasing the distance between the two of them. No wonder Chanyeol had been so intoxicating. He was forbidden fruit. Forbidden fruit that Baekhyun had kissed. Forbidden fruit that Baekhyun had laid with. Baekhyun straightened up and stared at Chanyeol in horror. 

How could he have not put two and two together sooner? Chanyeol had run a religious bakery. He wore a crucifix on a ring and spoke so fondly of God. Baekhyun’s heart raced and a thin sheen of sweat dampened his clothes. “I’m gonna be sick again.”

“Baekhyun stop.” Chanyeol said weakly as he stared at Baekhyun with pained eyes. His eyebrows were furrowed and his hand was outreached.

“Don’t come near me, angel!” Baekhyun screamed. He had slept with an _angel_. He had committed the ultimate sin of all demons. He had never felt so dirty in his existence. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” After all this time, he had been giving Kai a hard time only to find out he had been doing the exact same thing as the Demon Lord. ‘ _Kai_.’ Baekhyun was filled with instant rage. His whole body shook from anger and from vomiting so much. He glared at Chanyeol one last time before he took to the air.

He had flown for all of ten seconds before he felt a hand grab his ankle. He was being yanked down. When he glanced to see who it was, it was the angel. He kicked his other foot hard. It landed squarely on the angel’s nose, causing blood to spurt out and for the angel to bring his free hand to his face. “Let go of me.”

“Please Baekhyun, just let me explain.” Chanyeol’s voice was muffled by his hand.

Baekhyun kicked again and felt the hand release him. He pumped his wings harder and looked behind him. The angel was nowhere to be seen. When he turned to face forwards, he slammed into Chanyeol. The angel wrapped his arms around Baekhyun and sent them into a swan dive towards the earth. Baekhyun screamed and then bit down on Chanyeol’s arm, but the angel did not react. His face was bloodied and his nose looked badly swollen, but he otherwise was fine.

They landed with a thud, tumbling over each other – wings retracted for safety – until Chanyeol had Baekhyun pinned on the damp earth beneath him. Rain and blood dripped onto Baekhyun face. He bucked his hips and dug his nails into Chanyeol’s arms. “Get off me!”

“Let me talk!” Chanyeol screamed back.

The loudness of his voice startled Baekhyun into a stunned silence. He nodded. No one had ever spoken to him with such authority before. Anger? Yes. But authority? This was a first. He raised his eyebrows.

Chanyeol swallowed thickly. “I’m an angel.”

“No shit.” Baekhyun spat.

“And you’re a demon,” Chanyeol continued.

“Wow. Got myself a real Captain Obvious here, don’t I?” Baekhyun hissed.

“Shut up and let me talk.” Chanyeol growled. He waited until Baekhyun pursed his lips before continuing again. “We did something terrible that might have given Leviathan more strength than ever before.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. ‘ _Oh great, now I have to kill him too.’_

“And I’m going to ask you to do something very bad…” Chanyeol said.

“I have no problem killing you, if that’s what you’re asking.” Baekhyun replied.

Chanyeol narrowed his eyes and scrunched his nose. “That’s not what I’m talking about, but, thanks. Now I know how little I mean to you.”

Baekhyun rolled his eyes. “Like an angel could mean anything to me.” ‘ _Angels mean nothing to me.’_

Chanyeol winced. “Regardless, I need you to help me make a plan to end all of this.”

“Oh, that’s easy. I kill the vassal and this all gets thrown onto the next cycle.” Baekhyun kept his face as blank as possible. His mind was racing. Maybe he did have to kill Chanyeol as well as Kyungsoo. This was going to be a lot tougher than he thought if he had to kill two angels. He knew he could easily take Chanyeol down, but battling Kai to get to Kyungsoo would prove to me much more difficult.

The angel’s forehead creased. “There’s another way.”

This piqued Baekhyun’s interest. “Go on.” If there was an easier way to end all of this, he was curious. He let his gaze leave Chanyeol’s forehead and met his eyes. A charge ran through him and his breath hitched. Baekhyun mentally shook his head. ‘ _Enough. Just because he’s easy on the eyes does not mean I actually like this angel_.’ He glanced at the angel’s reddened lips. A stiffness grew in his pants. ‘ _Oh, for Lucifer’s sake!’_

~*~

Chanyeol’s breath caught. He could feel the stiffness growing in the demon’s pants beneath him and it awoke sinful thoughts in his mind. Flashes of the demon’s naked body beneath him clouded his vision. He swallowed and shook his head. “What I was trying to say is that—” He was cut off by Baekhyun reversing their position. As his back hit the grass his head grew foggy and his train of thought was lost. Instead he was filled with overbearing lust and hunger. It was the beginning stages of _the fall_ and Chanyeol could barely hold himself together to fight against it. He gazed up at the demon, whose chest was heaving as if he was fighting a battle as well.

“I am going to hate myself for this.” Baekhyun whispered. His hands were shaking as he trailed them down the angel’s body. His pupils – which were usually slits as he was a purebred demon – were completely dilated. Chanyeol watched as Baekhyun slid his hands under his tunic and screwed his eyes shut at the literal sparks he felt on his skin where Baekhyun’s fingers touched. 

How could something so wrong feel so amazing? Even the pressure of Baekhyun’s weight on him was making him heady. He weakly pushed Baekhyun’s hands away, but his resolve was faltering. He shivered as thin fingers tweaked his nipples. He knew what he was doing was wrong, but with each lingering touch by Baekhyun, it became easier and easier to give in to the intoxication.

He stared up into Baekhyun’s eyes and gave in to the urge to kiss him. The demon’s lips were everything he needed in that moment. They were soft, pliant, and perfect. He brushed his tip at Baekhyun’s bottom lip and was granted access. His tongue toyed with the roof of Baekhyun’s mouth as he tasted him. He felt a fire growing in his stomach as he continued to kiss the demon. Every part of his skin was aflame and soon a sheen of sweat was forming. He gasped in pain and pulled away startled.

Baekhyun looked at him curiously, head cocked to the side and lips pleasantly swollen. “What is it?”

Chanyeol frowned. “I felt like my skin was on fire…” he touched his arm, it was cool to the touch. Yet, Chanyeol could not ignore the way his skin had felt before. It was different than the last time he had slept with Baekhyun. Maybe it was because he knew exactly what he was doing this time around. Or maybe it was because of Leviathan.

Baekhyun squinted his eyes at him. “You feel it too?” His pupils had returned to their usual cat-like slits. In this form, Baekhyun looked even more like a demon than Chanyeol had even realized. Yet, part of him found it incredibly attractive. He vaguely wondered if there were things about Baekhyun that gave away his demon heritage, perhaps little horns or a barbed tail. The thought made Chanyeol smile to himself for a moment. Baekhyun would look cute with horns.

Chanyeol shook his head. “Yeah, but I don’t think it means I’ve become a Fallen.” He slowly stood and gave his wings a shake. The only thing that fell from them were a few loose downy feathers and dust. He retracted them quickly though as the demon stood and closed the distance between them. With every step that Baekhyun took Chanyeol’s heart began to race and his thought process dulled. He stumbled back. “What are you doing to me?”

“I should be asking you the same thing. Everyone knows how much I hate angels. Yet, I can’t keep my hands off you.” Baekhyun cast his gaze downward and bit his lip. He looked _almost_ innocent and that stirred something below Chanyeol’s waist. Then Baekhyun leaned up on the tip of his toes and kissed Chanyeol.

Chanyeol moaned softly against his lips and returned the kiss. God, everything about Baekhyun was consuming him. His smell, his taste, the softness of his lips, the slickness of his tongue as they slid over each other’s. The feeling of the demon’s thin frame pressing against him, the way his hands gripped Chanyeol’s tunic so tightly that Chanyeol could not pry them off. He could feel the beat of Baekhyun’s heart against his chest and he could have sworn that he could hear the thoughts in his head as well. 

_‘So good. So, so good.’_

Chanyeol could not tell if the thought was his or not but he no longer cared. He sank to his knees in front of Baekhyun and yanked down his pants unleashing the throbbing member. He paused to look up at Baekhyun’s face before taking it into his mouth. He tongued just beneath the head before fully engulfing Baekhyun’s dick. Slowly he pulled his head back, slurping as he unsheathed more and more of the demon’s shaft before reversed the motion. His nose brushed against Baekhyun’s pelvis as he swallowed thickly around his cock. He pressed his tongue against the flesh as he bobbed his head back and forth faster and faster. He hummed softly when Baekhyun grabbed a handful of his hair and guided him to go slower.

Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun’s legs tremble and released the aching member to suck lightly on his balls. He swirled his tongue around them, taking one into his mouth and then switching with the other one until he brought them both into his mouth. His hand was wrapped around the spit slickened cock as he stroked it. He was about to return to blowing Baekhyun when the smaller pushed his head back and sank down on the ground in front of him.

Chanyeol pulled his tunic over his head as Baekhyun removed his jacket and shirt. He watched hungrily as Baekhyun turned his back towards him and offered up his ass. Chanyeol peppered each cheek with kisses before he dove between them. When Baekhyun gasped as he brushed his tongue around his tight hole, Chanyeol smiled. He had never done anything like this, but somehow, he knew it would feel good. Baekhyun's mewls gave him all the proof he needed. He had to tighten his grip around his waist as the demon squirmed with pleasure. Once Baekhyun’s entrance was sufficiently wet he replaced his tongue with a finger and began warming him up.

The angel could feel Baekhyun tremble and writhe in front of him as he prepared him. He hissed softly as he pressed the head of his cock against the entrance. A thousand voices in his head were screaming about how wrong this was but a million more were singing sweet siren songs of pleasure and sin. He finally pushed into Baekhyun and a low groan escaped his lips. Baekhyun moved his hips slowly as he adjusted to Chanyeol’s dick and growled deeply in his chest. 

Chanyeol gripped the demon’s hips and he began to find a steady rhythm. It felt so amazing and it looked even better to see his thick cock disappearing into Baekhyun’s ass. The feeling of the grass beneath his knees as he picked up the pace and began ramming into Baekhyun was the only thing that kept him from completely losing himself. The warmth and tightness of the demon was quickly sending him over the edge and by the sounds of Baekhyun moans it seemed as though he was in the same place as well.

Chanyeol trailed his nails down Baekhyun’s back, leaving red marks.

“Harder.” Baekhyun panted.

Chanyeol dug his nails even deeper, the red marks looked angry and were bleeding in some places, especially near the joints where Baekhyun’s wings were. He continued to slam into him faster and faster until there was nothing keeping him from losing himself anymore. The harder he plowed Baekhyun, the louder the demon moaned, and the louder his moans were the more turned on Chanyeol became.

After a while Chanyeol pulled out and laid back on his back. His forehead was drenched in sweat and his knees were green from the grass. The coolness of the ground beneath him directly contrasted with the warmth of Baekhyun’s body. When Baekhyun slid down on this cock and began riding him Chanyeol’s eyes nearly rolled back into his head.

The sight of Baekhyun bobbing up and down was intoxicating. The way his cheeks flushed, the drips of sweat that made his hair form tiny spikes, the redness that was spreading across his chest as he neared his climax. Even the way Baekhyun bit his lip so hard it nearly bled was entirely too much for Chanyeol. He loved the way Baekhyun rode him, every second of it was sinful and dirty. The look Baekhyun gave him, the tiny smirk his lips formed in between the moans that he let loose, and even the way his fingers pressed against Chanyeol’s chest consumed him. The feeling, of the hotness and pressure of Baekhyun’s hole around his cock, the way he filled the demon and then some, the way Baekhyun took all his length over and over. God, it was so amazing. 

Chanyeol fought the urge to buck his hips while Baekhyun rode him. Before he knew it, he was holding tightly onto the demon’s hips and fucking the living daylights out of him. He needed to go faster and harder, he needed to feel all his length inside of Baekhyun, he needed to angle his hips in just the right way to make Baekhyun scream. He needed Baekhyun more than anything else. He needed to lose himself once and for all.

As Chanyeol neared his climax, Baekhyun suddenly laid his chest on his and lazily kissed him as he moaned on his lips. Their hot breath mingled and tongues languidly swept over each other’s. When Baekhyun bit down on Chanyeol’s neck, an explosion sounded in his ears. Within seconds his own hips spasmed wildly as he came inside Baekhyun. The pressure that had been building had finally ben released and as he held onto Baekhyun, thrusting his seed deeper inside of him, the smaller came in long spurts between their bodies mixing in with their sweat. And with that they laid in each other arms catching their breath. Baekhyun whispered a few unintelligible words but Chanyeol was to drained to even care.

Minutes passed and Chanyeol’s mind began to clear. As it cleared, panic rose in his chest. He sat up abruptly and stared at Baekhyun in horror. He had not been able to resist temptation. He was going to be locked away when he returned to Heaven. When their eyes met a mutual expression of shame passed between them.

“God damn you to Hell, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun said as he got dressed. “God fucking damn you to Hell.” He shook his head. “Twice now, I’ve slept with an angel.”

Chanyeol stared at his grass stained tunic in a pile on the ground. “Maybe that’s what I deserve?” He whispered and avoided looking at the demon as he unfurled his magnificently terrifying wings. He slowly stood and stared at the mess of cum and sweat on his body. He wiped it off the best he could and then pulled his tunic over his head. His mind was reeling. How had they ended up doing that again? How had they given in to the greatest sin amongst Heaven and Hell? Chanyeol unfurled his feathered wings and shook them waiting for feathers to fall. When nothing littered the ground, he glanced up at Baekhyun, who was now hovering above him and sighed.

Baekhyun spat at the ground by his feet. “Next time I see you, it better be on the battlefield.”

Chanyeol winced. He knew he cared for Baekhyun, but the very existence of those feelings would be his greatest downfall. He pursed his lips and squashed down the feelings. Perhaps the battlefield would be the best place to confront Baekhyun again. He glanced up at him again, newfound resolve filled him. “I’ll be there.” _And I won’t hold back._

He watched as Baekhyun took off and stared after him. If he got rid of him then he would not be tempted anymore. Yet, part of him felt like that would not be the best course of action. He touched his neck and frowned. Maybe he should just accept the fall.

~*~

_‘I almost said I loved him!’_ Baekhyun thought as he entered Hell. “What in the actual fuck?” He screamed. Several lesser demons glanced up at him and then hurried away. Baekhyun beat his wings harder, sending gusts of hot hair down at them. Beads of sweat dotted his forehead as he continued to beat his wings long after the lesser demon’s scattered. Some of his anger has dissipated with each gust he sent after them.

Slowly he descended to the ground and when he landed he looked around at the onlookers that lingered in the shadows. He let out a roar that sent the rest scrambling out of the area. Then he screamed. How did he let this happen? Rage filled him and then was replaced by disgust and then replaced again by confusion as he involuntarily relived the way his body shuddered when he climaxed.

Feeling a presence behind him, Baekhyun glanced up to see a curious Kai looking down at him. “The fuck do you want?”

Kai shrugged his shoulders and flew towards his quarters. Baekhyun watched him angrily for a few moments. If it hadn’t been for Kai requesting that the angel stay in Hell, Baekhyun never would have met Chanyeol, nor would he have slept with him. _An angel_. Fiery anger filled Baekhyun again. He glared at Kai’s direction and decided to follow him. He was going to kill him.

Again, he flew hard and angry. His wings beating so hard that gusts of wind disrupted the demons below. They all looked up and then promptly lowered their heads when Baekhyun snarled at them. A few challenged Baekhyun’s glares with glares of their own, but Baekhyun was not in the mood to be cordial, so he cursed them. Slowly their bodies bubbled and exploded.

He landed in the Demon Lord’s quarters and Kai hissed at him. “What is your problem?”

Baekhyun slammed Kai up against the wall. “This is _your_ fault!” He bared his teeth at Kai and pressed him harder against the limestone wall. In the dim lighting, he could see Kai’s expression sour.

“You don’t think I know that?” Kai sneered. He pushed against Baekhyun’s arm and broke free form Baekhyun’s grip.

“No, Chanyeol.” Baekhyun spat out. “You knew about him and you didn’t tell me.” His breathing was growing shallow. “You _knew_!” His voice cracked.

Kai stared at Baekhyun. “Look I tried to warn you.” The Demon Lord then raised an eyebrow. “You…” He trailed off and then smiled.

Baekhyun continued to glare at Kai. “Fuck you. Fuck You Kai.” He flared his nostrils. “A fucking angel. He was a fucking angel.” Baekhyun began pacing around Kai’s room. “I hate you.” He stomped his feet. Out of the corner of his eye he caught Kai’s smirk. “It’s not funny. Now I’m no better than you!”

Kai snorted. He then sat down on the edge of his bed and patted it. “Sit.”

“No.” Baekhyun barked. He started stomping harder and then stopped. His gaze dropped to the floor, he let out a long breath. “I almost told him I loved him.” He whispered it so softly he wasn’t even sure he heard himself. When he looked up at Kai he found himself on the receiving end of sympathy. “Don’t fucking look at me like that.”

Kai snorted again. “He’s irresistible, isn’t he?” He stared at his hands. “At first you think you’re just going to corrupt him by looking at him so you have to close your eyes and just let yourself feel, right? Then the feeling is just so intoxicating that you get lost and before you know it you can’t get him out of your head. His smell, his taste, the sound of his moans, all of it keep replaying, teasing your senses and driving you insane.”

Baekhyun sat down next to Kai. “It wasn’t quite like that for me, but yeah.” He sighed. “I _wanted_ to corrupt him, when I thought he was human, that is.” He swallowed thickly. “But when I found out he was an angel, part of me got excited. Like a deep part of me.” He caught Kai’s gaze with his peripheral vision. “And when our skin touches; it’s fire. But more of a cold fire, like part of me is dying but it feels so good.”

“Yeah. It’s different for you because you’re a natural born demon.” Kai sighed. “But I get what you’re saying.” He touched Baekhyun’s back causing him to jump.

“But I don’t love him.” Baekhyun whispered. “I can’t.” He looked at Kai. “But now I get why you did it. You loved your angel, right?” He felt all the anger rush out of him at this realization. “We demons don’t love often, but when we do...”

Kai shook his head. “I’m still just your garden variety Fallen Angel. But yes, I loved him even in Heaven.”

Baekhyun creased his forehead. He knew that angels did not feel real emotions because they were forbidden to. This was primarily because it would hinder them on the battlefield. So, he knew whatever thoughts he thought he was hearing from Chanyeol were purely in his head. Yet, if Kai just said he felt deep emotion for another angel in Heaven, then maybe Baekhyun was not imagining things. “What do you mean?”

Kai smiled in a way that Baekhyun could tell his heart was both breaking and singing. “Let me start from the beginning…”

~*~

Kai laughed bitterly. “Yeah, that was when I was kicked out from Heaven.” He could not believe that Baekhyun was being more like his old self right now. It had been a while since they had talked like this. Lately it’s been yelling and fighting and then him running around getting plans together for the armies. Plus, since Kyungsoo awakened Leviathan, Kai had hardly slept.

Baekhyun nodded and then asked, “So angels feel emotions, they’re just dulled?”

Kai shook his head. “No, we’re taught to suppress them. I believe that once upon a time angels were allowed to feel, but that backfired horribly because they fell for humans and created Nephilim.” Kai sighed. “Of course, this upset God, so he cast them out and that’s how the first batch of Fallen Angels ended up here.”

“You mean Lucifer’s angels?” Baekhyun furrowed his brows.

“No Lucifer fell long before that. I’m talking about the ones we see walking around here. The ones who embraced Hell and all its ways. You remember that big guy named Wufan?”

Baekhyun nodded.

“Well he’s part of that group. He fell and embraced Hell’s ways so completely that he was allowed to be reborn as a demon.” Kai pursed his lips, “Although I do think he is currently living in the human realm under one of our more permanent disguises. He tied his disguise to the life of the human he is with so for as long as that human remains alive, he will be perceived as human.” Kai paused. “I think that’s how that works.” It was one of the things he had come across when looking for a way to stop Leviathan. He considered it briefly but knowing he would have to give up Kyungsoo for a human made him scrap the idea.

“So that’s how he did it.” Baekhyun said. Then his eyes lit up. “But there is a way for an angel to be reborn as a demon?”

Kai nodded. “The angel has to take a visit to Lucifer, who funnily enough lives in the human realm as well, and he will transform the angelic spirit into a demonic one through a ritual.” Kai watched as Baekhyun bit his lip in thought. “Although the survival rate is slim once an angel reaches a certain ranking.” In that moment Kai jumped to his feet. “Wait, this might work.”

He scrambled to find a scroll of darkness. Perhaps if he could transform Kyungsoo’s spirit into a demonic one, they might be able to end the cycle. He wrote as fast as he could. He kept writing as he heard Baekhyun leave his quarters. “I hope I helped.”

“Y-yeah.” Baekhyun said before he took off.

Kai was deep in thought as he rolled up the scroll. He might be able to save Kyungsoo after all.

~*~

Suho looked around the room at the group that had gathered. His eyes fell on Yixing and softened a bit. It was true that he had been frazzled since Suho had let him in on the interworking of Heaven and Suho could see the dark circles under his eyes. He beckoned him over and watched him closely as he approached him. “Yixing…” he started and stopped when the angel met his gaze. He could see the fear behind them. “Come, take a walk with me before I start this meeting.” He needed to find a way to calm him down.

Yixing nodded and then glanced back at the group of angels. His gaze locked with one angel’s and then flicked away. His expression became muddled and then he bit his lip.

Suho followed Yixing’s gaze to Minseok and then back to Yixing. Minseok had been staring pointedly at Yixing but when he met Suho’s eyes he quickly looked at the ground. Suho frowned and steered Yixing out of the room. With God’s absence, it seemed all the angels were struggling with unwanted emotions.

They walked in silence for a bit before Suho cleared his throat. “I just wanted to thank you for being my confidante, Yixing.” He stopped at the end of the hallway and turned to face Yixing. He studied his face again, taking in the gentle slopes of Yixing’s face. “I am forever in your debt for putting you through this.” He knew the from first night they spent in the human realm talking about what was happening that Yixing would not be able to hold it in for long.

Yixing nodded. “Anything for my Seraphim.” He cast his gaze to the floor; wringing his hands.

Suho furrowed his brows. He still felt as though he did not deserve this rank after the way he got it. He had known about the demon attack before it happened due to his spies down in Hell, yet he did nothing more to help protect Heaven. In fact, he had no memory of even speaking to the Thrones about the impending attack, yet when they debriefed him for the rank of Seraphim he was told he had met with them. Part of him felt like something was wrong even within the Throne ranks, yet – like the Seraphim – they were supposed to be untouchable.

The air between him and Yixing grew tense as Yixing avoiding his eyes. He reached out to touch Yixing’s shoulder and the angel winced away. Suho dropped his hand. He knew Yixing was freaking out inside about the plan, but he had not realized how much so. It was no wonder why he told Chanyeol earlier that day.

“My apologies, Ser-Suho.” He gave him a weak smile. His eyes were full of despair. “I wish I was stronger.”

Suho reached to touch his shoulder again but stopped before Yixing noticed. He cleared his throat again and then forced a smile. He knew that every angel present at this meeting knew their part in the plan. He also knew that none of them were quite happy with how things had unfolded. “Let’s get back to the others.” Suho led the way without checking to see if Yixing was following him, but he heard his slow footsteps.

Once back in the room, Suho walked to the front of the group. He pursed his lips and stared at the wall for a bit before speaking. “I’m sure you all know why I have called you here.”

Several angels nodded and a few muttered soft yeses.

“I want all of you to know that I trust each of you with what I am about to tell you.” Suho swallowed thickly. He knew it was way too much to ask of these angels he considered his friends. He also knew that what they were planning was going to be a suicide mission. “With that said, let me give you all some context on the situation.” He drew in a shaky breath and exhaled. In his mind’s eye, he saw himself in his first meeting with the previous Demon Lord.

_It was Suho’s first mission as a Virtue and he was being sent to Hell to deliver a message. After the previous messenger from Hell had been killed by a couple of Powers – for misbehaving, Heaven and Hell agreed that messengers were to be angels only._

_Suho had climbed the ranks spectacularly fast since he was born. He was one of the few angels born as an angel rather than a human turned angel. Natural born angels only happened once every few centuries and those that were natural born tended to be purer than the rest. This was largely due to the fact that they had never felt human emotions so their chances of falling was greatly reduced._

_Suho straightened his tunic and checked his golden woven belt one last time before donning the traditional headband made of olive leaves on the crown of his head. He lightly rearranged his auburn hair and took a deep breath before heading to the Cherubim quarters to pick up his scroll._

_The flight down to Hell was hardly interesting. He acknowledged the humans below him as they teetered about with their primitive technology. They had just figured out the wheel down and were beginning to travel more and more. More outcroppings of human settlements were sprouting up everywhere, marked by plumes of smoke. Suho turned his focus to the opening to Hell’s realm._

_The entrance to Hell was more grandiose than Suho had expected. The gates were solid obsidian and the spires had metal demons’ heads at the top all boring various expressions of pain. The bars were carved with the harsh demonic runes that glowed red. There were pyres and the smell of sulfur was overbearing.  Suho walked up towards the demon at the entrance and nodded at him as he pushed the gate open. He knew that the demon was more of a formality than a real need to defend Hell. Especially because no one ever willingly went to Hell._

_He walked around various demons that were building and wondered what they were doing. When he reached the center of the plaza his eyes fell upon the Demon Lord and his breath was taken away. He was a spectacular sight. His dark hair was messily styled so that it barely concealed the small horns that protruded from the Demon Lord’s head. His eyes were nothing but black ether that absorbed all the light in the room when Suho met his gaze. His cheekbones were perfectly sculpted and a small smile adorned his lips._

_“You’re here to deliver a message from Heaven?” His voice was rich and thunderous. All the demons that were building stopped to watch the show unfold._

_Suho cleared his throat and squared his shoulders. He held his chin high and walked with purpose towards the demon sitting in the obsidian throne. “Yes, the Powers that be wish to have a council with you.” As he approached the Demon Lord he felt his heart quicken. ‘What is wrong with my body?’ He thought as he struggled to get closer to the Demon Lord._

_The Demon Lord stood and Suho felt a huge wave of power push him to his knees. The pressure forced his head down so that it looked as if he was bowing down. He felt his face grow warm and a fire grew in his stomach. “What are you doing to me?”_

_“I am teaching you humility. You are to bow before those that rank over you.” The Demon Lord walked towards Suho._

_Suho fought the pressure and forced himself to his feet. He was out of breath by the time he stood up. He had never felt a power so overwhelming before. “You don’t rank over me. You’re just a Demon Lord.” He scoffed. “There have been many before you and there will be many after you.”_

_The Demon Lord’s nose flared. “Quite disrespectful.” He held out his hand for the scroll._

_Suho reluctantly handed it over. He watched the Demon Lord’s face as he read the scroll. He found himself admiring the dark lashes that framed his black eyes. His eyes traveled lower and he appreciated the Demon Lord’s body in general. He felt a strange pressure below his waist and heard a few snickers behind him._

_The Demon Lord glanced at the demons that laughed and they immediately silenced themselves. His eyes then trailed slowly over Suho’s body and then a smile quirked his lips. “See something you like?”_

_Suho frowned and then looked down. His eyes widened and his face flushed. He willed his member to return to its previous state. He swallowed and then spoke. “Are my services here done?”_

_The Demon Lord nodded. “You may leave, I will be sending word of my response in a few days.” His smile faded into a grim line. “Tell you precious Powers that I will deeply consider their offer.”_

 

Suho looked at the faces of the angels in the room and cast his eyes to the ground. “So, you see, this _problem_ is cyclical.” He sighed and met the gaze of every angel. “I was destined to commit the greatest sin and I still stand here before you.” He paused. “I know what I am asking of you is a lot, but I feel that if we can pull this off, we can stop this cycle from continuing.”

Minseok spoke up, “But you realize that we’re the last of the natural born, barring Kyungsoo and he’s being _disposed_ of.” He frowned.

“Yes, that is why I said I know I’m asking a lot from you.” Suho sighed shakily. “I’m asking you all to become Seraphim and for you to then sacrifice yourselves for the greater good.”

“What about you?” Another angel named Taehyung, asked.

Suho swallowed thickly. He could not tell them that he would not be sacrificing himself the same way they were, but instead doing something else entirely unimaginable. He was going to make a deal with Lucifer himself. “I will be joining you all after I finish my part in all of this.” He bit his lip. “I have been having issues with my memory as of late, so I don’t trust myself around Leviathan without some sort of backup plan.”

Yixing glanced up at Suho with an expression of pure horror. “You’re not–”

Suho nodded. “I must do what needs to be done to ensure Heaven’s safety.” He set his jaw. “It is my duty as an angel to protect and serve Heaven, even if it means doing… _that_.”

The angels all grumbled and whispered amongst themselves. Suho avoided all eight pairs of eyes. Then, Minseok stood up, “Well, you know I’m in.”

Yixing stood and grabbed Minseok’s hand, “Me too.”

One by one all the angels stood and clasped hands. “We’re all in.”

Suho exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he had been holding. “Thank you.” He adjusted his robes. “Let’s begin the Seraphim ceremony.”

~*~

_“Kai! Wait up!” Kyungsoo laughed as he ran after Kai. They were in an empty park playing on the jungle gym. It was a calm, cool day in autumn. The breeze was lazy but frequent and offered a nice contrast to the sun shining down on them._

_Kai quickly ran up the steps for the slide two at a time. His long legs making it look effortless. Kyungsoo watched as he disappeared into the slide and followed him. He knew that this jungle gym was for children but they were having too much fun. He started to sit down on the slide but a hand grabbed his ankle and he found himself slipping faster. “Hey!”_

_Kai laughed as they both landed on the soft grass. He climbed on top of Kyungsoo and gently kissed him. “I love you.”_

_Kyungsoo smiled back at him and kissed his nose. “I love you too.”_

“Kyungsoo.” Suho’s voice brought Kyungsoo out of the dream.

Kyungsoo scowled. “What?” He was still angry at being locked up in this tower but he knew it was for his own protection. Still, he could not believe that Kai would knock him out and bring him up here without telling him first.

Suho opened the barred door and then locked it behind him. Kyungsoo rolled his eyes, he was not going to try to escape, not if he wanted to protect Kai. He was sure that Suho knew that but was also being precautious. Nonetheless, Kyungsoo watched as Suho paced the room. It looked white like all room in Heaven, the only difference was instead of having windows it had four blank walls.

Suho fidgeted with his sleeves for a second before speaking. “Can you still feel him in your head?”

Kyungsoo probed his mind for traces of Leviathan but it seemed as though the beast could not reach his mind up here. He shook his head. “No, I can’t sense him at all.”

Suho nodded. “Good.” He started pacing again. “I have come up with a plan, but I need you to listen carefully.”

Kyungsoo swallowed a retort and pursed his lips. “I’m listening.”

“I need you to kill Kai.” Suho’s face was grave.

“I thought we were past the point that his death would be affective.” Kyungsoo whispered.

“That’s what we want him to believe. But truth be told, he has to be killed by the vassal to end this cycle.” Suho glanced at the floor for a second before meeting Kyungsoo’s eyes. “I need you to fight on Heaven’s side and I need you to kill him.”

“Or else what?” Kyungsoo heard the undertone of a threat.

“Or else our existence as we know it will be over.” Suho said.

Kyungsoo licked his lips nervously. He did not think that he could possibly hurt Kai. He knew Suho would not leave until he had an answer, so he nodded his head. His voice was barely above a whisper when he spoke, “I’ll do it.”

Suho nodded briefly and then turned to leave. “I am so sorry.”

Kyungsoo was not sure if he was supposed to hear that so he did not respond. Instead he stared at his hands. Hands that would have to end the life of the only person he had ever loved.

~*~

Suho stood outside of Kyungsoo’s cell and pinched the bridge of his nose. He was lying to Kyungsoo, but it was the only way he could be sure that Leviathan did not know the actual plan. So long as Kyungsoo was consumed with the idea of killing Kai, his mind would be far too muddled for Leviathan to even want to visit. He was going to make _the deal_ with Lucifer, bring back Jongdae, and then they all would end this once and for all.

Suho stepped out of the tower to find Kai standing before him, surrounded by Powers and Thrones. “I did not call for you.” He dismissed the Powers and Thrones with a wave of his hand.

“I know that. But read this.” He tossed the scroll of darkness towards Suho.

Suho caught it with ease and began reading. His eyes widened. He walked briskly towards Kai and grabbed his wrist and pulled him close to him. He searched his eyes for any hint of deceit. If what was on the scroll was true, then maybe he would not have to sacrifice his Seraphim after all. 

He dragged Kai by the wrist to the Seraphim quarters. Once inside he shut the door to the secret room and pointed at the scroll. “How do you know this will work?” It was the very same deal he was going to make with Lucifer to bring Jongdae back. He knew how much Lucifer liked having natural born angels in his ranks.

Kai shrugged. “I don’t, I’m just grasping for straws at this point.” He raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m trying any and everything to make sure I get my angel back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> /Sheepish/ Hi everyone. I know it's been a minute but, here's an update! Hope you all enjoy~ I will work on the next update later on this week,but it probably won't be updated for a bit again because of school. Nonetheless, as I promised, I will finish all of my fics. Feel free to leave a comment or message or whatever you'd like and I will respond as always! Glad to be back~ ^-^
> 
> Until next time lovelies<3


	10. Lemniscate

Baekhyun sat in his room staring at the floor. His hands were clasped and he had his deep red leathery wings pinned close to his back. He played with his star shaped silver gilding on his hand and then ripped it off. It clanked as it hit the ground and the crystal’s lights slowly dimmed as it was disconnected from his powers.

He knew that with the war, he needed to be at full power and something like the gilding sapped a significant amount of his power. He thought back to when he had first put it on when he went to the human realm and frowned deeply. It was because of the gilding that he was able to appear human for Chanyeol but it was also because of the gilding that he was unable to sense Chanyeol’s angelic powers since it dulled his perceptions a bit.

Baekhyun stood up and crushed the gilding under his foot. If it were not for the damned thing, he would have never met Chanyeol and then he would not be connected to this whole Leviathan thing with Kai. He cursed under his breath and ground the gilding pieces into the limestone. He pursed his lips and continued to stare at the ground as his thoughts filled with images of Chanyeol and their last meeting. The more he thought about it the more his heart twisted. He knew that he would see Chanyeol on the battlefield, but part of him was scared what might happen when he released the blockages of his power.

Baekhyun had always been incredibly strong, as he was the son of the very first Demon Lord himself, Lucifer. Although the word son was used loosely because Lucifer was more of his creator than his father. He had created all of the original demons, all of which specialized in one of the major sins. As time went on, most of them took on different names.

Luhan – who had once been Sathanus and then Satan, had settled on Luhan for the time being. Baekhyun was the same, he had many names but as time went on, he changed his name to fit his desires and he had been Baekhyun for the past few centuries.

But he knew that as he released the blockades of his power that this Baekhyun persona that he had been for so long would do one of two things: disappear forever – taking all his memories of this persona with it, or he would become consumed by this Baekhyun persona and would not be able to reach his full potential.

He did not have an issue with remaining Baekhyun for as long as he existed and in fact rather liked this persona, but he was incredibly worried that he may revert to his first form. His primitive form was just that: primitive. It was harsh, rash, and incredibly strong. It sought out chaos and evil and as much as Baekhyun enjoyed chaos now, his primitive form took that to all new levels.

Baekhyun exhaled loudly and walked over to his scrying mirror. He looked at himself first, taking in the shape of his eyes, their yellow irises and slit pupils. He changed their appearance until his irises were brown and then smiled. His pupils were still slits as he liked that inhuman aspect of himself the most. He had liked the harshness of the yellow irises, but he figured if there was a possibility of him never being able to change again, he wanted to perfect this version of himself. After giving himself a once over, he decided there was nothing else to change, and then use his scrying mirror for it’s true purpose.

He brought up Luhan on the surface and was quite surprised that Luhan let him keep the connection open. Usually, when he tried to scry Luhan, Luhan shut him out immediately, but this time Baekhyun could see his form laying on his bed under the blankets. Baekhyun glanced away from the mirror and stared at the ground. He could not imagine the pain Luhan was in and for the first time since he knew him, he felt bad for him. He looked at Luhan once more and saw him shift under the covers until his face was exposed. His red rimmed eyes looked right back into Baekhyun’s before the connection was broken.

Baekhyun placed the mirror down back on his wall and stretched his wings. They hurt a bit when he fully extended them so he gave them a couple of hearty shakes and stretched them again. Once properly stretched, he walked to the entrance of his room and took off towards Luhan’s quarters. He was not sure why he wanted to talk to him, but something in Luhan’s face twisted Baekhyun’s heart. Again, it was something he was not used to feeling, this dread – no. This was guilt he was feeling. He knew he somehow had something to do with Luhan’s pain.

As he flew there he glanced down to see plenty of _hellions_ rushing around carrying pieces of armor and others with weapons. Black plumes of smoke billowed up and collected up by the stalactites almost obscuring them. It was the first time in a while that Hell had been this bustling; even the Fallen Angels were making their own armor and weapons. One looked up at met Baekhyun’s eyes and saluted him. Baekhyun nodded in response and then beat his wings faster to get to Luhan.

When he arrived in Luhan’s quarters, his mind was assaulted violently. Pain and flashes of red and darkness passed over Baekhyun’s sight. He landed roughly as he brought up his defenses. “No need to attack me, Luhan. You knew I was coming.” He folded his wings neatly behind him and strode towards Luhan’s bed.

Luhan said nothing but rolled over in his bed to face Baekhyun. As he sat up, his face was hidden by shadows, but Baekhyun could see the pain in his posture. His hair was messy as if he had not bathed in the springs for quite some time. Parts of it stuck up and other parts were plastered down to his scalp. The tunic he was wearing was sliding off one shoulder but he didn’t seem to notice.

Baekhyun stared at Luhan for a second and then sat on the edge. He smoothed his hands on his thighs and then balled them into fists. He sucked in air through his teeth and held his breath. He was not sure how he was going to broach the subject with Luhan. He wanted to ask Luhan so many questions, namely what exactly had happened to Sehun and if he was going to release his blocks, but the words would not leave his lips. ‘ _Why am I so nervous?’_

“Go ahead and say it, I know you’re thinking it.” Luhan’s voice was hoarse and quiet. His eyes were quite puffy and his nose was red tinged.

Baekhyun opened his mouth and closed it. He and Luhan had never been close, not even when they were first created, but Baekhyun was seeking some type of kinship. He sighed and then blurted out. “I want to know exactly how he died.” Baekhyun almost regretted the words as they flew out.

Luhan’s face grew darker and the air in his room sizzled as his powers radiated out of him. Baekhyun slowly reached out towards him but when he touched him, a shock of electricity traveled through him. He knew it was a mind trick, but it still hurt, so he drew his hand back. “Luhan.” Now, he definitely regretted the words.

The air stopped popping as Luhan reeled in his powers. He was still refusing to talk, but Baekhyun felt him gently prodding his mind so he let him in. He could feel Luhan’s presence very tenderly move towards the parts of his brain that controlled dreams and before he knew it, Baekhyun was sucked into Luhan’s memories of the attack on Heaven.

_Luhan smirked as he watched the chaos unfolding above him as he flew towards Heaven. When he arrived he lazily overtook several minds of weaker angels and destroyed them in seconds. He scanned the area for one demon in particular and locked eyes with him and smiled. Sehun was the only demon who Luhan actually cared about, so to see him perfectly unstained by blood filled him with relief. They shared a nod and then Luhan flew in the opposite direction seeking to destroy some buildings for the hell of it._

_He raised his hard and a building crumbled as he separated each brick with his mind simultaneously. He flew around lazily, destroying buildings and slamming angels with his mind, stunning them and letting the demon gain the edge of surprise._

_Luhan knew he was a force to be reckoned with on the field and that was why he was the Demon Lord’s General. He smiled as he destroyed mind after mind of various angels and then found himself growing bored. Heaven really needed to work on building the defenses of their angel’s minds._

_Luhan found himself searching for Sehun again and locked onto his mind’s signature. Luhan rounded a corner and found Sehun battling three angels at once. Blasting them with strong gusts of wind to keep them off his back while he sucked the air out of an angel’s lungs and watched him suffocate._

_Luhan lashed out at an angel that was behind Sehun and then smiled at him again. He loved seeing Sehun’s rare smile and it seemed only battle brought it out of him. Well, that and Luhan himself. He watched Sehun battle for a bit longer before considering finding a Power to battle. He knew that Powers were trained against his mind power, so he wanted to test just how strong they were, but then he also knew that if he did that, he would not be able to keep an eye on what was happening. Instead Luhan then flew higher so he could watch more of the pandemonium below. This way he could make sure things were going according to plans and make sure Sehun stayed safe._

_As Luhan watched the gore his heart rate sped up. He searched the field for Sehun once more and saw him being pushed into a building. A bit of anxiety rolled through him but he pushed it away, he knew Sehun would be fine. Besides, he needed to make sure he had a good view of everything so he could show Kai the events later. As Luhan watched below, he felt Sehun’s mind reaching for his. It felt panicked so Luhan headed towards him and just as he got close enough, he heard him scream._

Baekhyun was slammed out of the vision by Luhan’s emotions and blinked a few times as his eyes readjusted to the darkness. He met Luhan’s eyes and frowned. He had not realized that Luhan could transpose his feelings through the visions as well. He still felt the dull ache in his heart from the shared vision. This time when he reached over to comfort Luhan, he was not met with the illusion of an electric shock. “I’m sorry.”

Luhan furrowed his brows. “ _You’re_ apologizing?” A small smile pulled at Luhan’s lips. “You’ve gone soft.” He then squinted at his fellow demon. “What happened to you?”

Baekhyun looked everywhere but Luhan’s face while he spoke. “I know but, I understand how you feel…I think.” Chanyeol flashed through his mind briefly. His long dark auburn hair half pulled back with parts framing his face. Baekhyun pushed his image from his mind and met Luhan’s eyes.

Luhan stared at him, his expression unreadable. “No you don’t. You’ve never cared about anyone but yourself.”

_‘He isn’t wrong.”_ Baekhyun thought as he bit his lip. He needed to tell Luhan what was going on so he would be prepared when they went into battle, but again Baekhyun felt nervous. “I…there’s something I think I need to tell you.”

“You _think?_ Baekhyun, I’m going to ask this one more time, _what happened to you_?” Luhan said. His concern for Baekhyun seemed to have brought some life back into him. He then slowly slid to his feet and brushed himself off. He walked around the bed to stand in front of Baekhyun and leaned so that he was closer to his face. “And why are your eyes are brown?”

Baekhyun nodded and then closed his eyes. He exhaled. He needed to get it over with. “I slept with an angel.” He braced himself for Luhan’s reaction but instead felt Luhan prodding at his mind again. It felt inquisitive and careful so he let him in. He usually never consented to Luhan being in his mind, but he was feeling so guilty that he figured he owed it to him. Baekhyun was aware of Luhan sifting through his memories. It wasn’t painful, just moderately uncomfortable, like a headache. Luhan was out of his mind almost as quickly as he entered it.

“I see.” He grimaced. “It’s all connected, isn’t it?” His voice sounded distant as if he was sinking into his own mind.

Baekhyun opened his eyes and watched as Luhan walked around the room. “What’s all connected?”

“You, Kai, the angels…Leviathan.” He faced the wall, his shoulders tense. “…Father, too.” Luhan must have had a closer relationship with Lucifer than Baekhyun remembered.

Baekhyun frowned. He knew that Leviathan was created by Lucifer in response to his fall from Heaven. He also knew that Lucifer also helped place him in his prison when God had refused to show – only after both sides had suffered great losses. But for the life of him, he could not figure out why Leviathan fed off angel-demon relations.

“It all makes sense, Baekhyun.” Luhan whispered.

“I don’t understand.” Baekhyun admitted. His own mind was working a million miles a minute trying to parse together what Luhan was hinting at.

Luhan turned to face him, expressionless. “Father is recruiting. He’s using Leviathan to bring all the natural born angels to Hell’s side. And he’s using your love to make you all make the deal with him.”

Baekhyun’s eyes widened. Was he being played by his own creator? If so, then why was Lucifer recruiting? Could he not have asked Baekhyun to help, instead of forcing him through pain and suffering? Baekhyun supposed it was because he had shunned him for the last few millennia, but that still did not make sense as to why _he_ of all the original demons had to fall for an angel. “No, I don’t love him.”

Luhan frowned. “You love him. I can see it in your mind and feel it in your heart.” He laughed bitterly. “Seems like Father really gave you the short stick, this time.”

Baekhyun shook his head and repeated, “I don’t love him. There’s no way.” Chanyeol flashed through his mind again. Baekhyun forced him out of his head, but he could feel Luhan bring him back to the surface. He shut Luhan out of his mind and glared at him.

“You do.” Luhan poked Baekhyun in the chest. “When I was showing you my account of the battle,” he poked him harder, “You drew out my emotions and my thoughts because _this thing_ ,” he poked him even harder, “exists and recognized the love I hav– had for Sehun.” He dropped his hand to his side and frowned deeply, obviously upset by the words that left his lips. A few tears plopped on the limestone ground.

“Oh.” It was all Baekhyun could muster. He stared at Luhan for a long moment. Neither moved as both were deep in their minds. Baekhyun bit his lip. Now he felt even surer of what he needed to do. And that involved a visit to Lucifer himself. He needed to figure out what was going and why Lucifer was using him as a pawn.

~*~

Chanyeol peeked outside of his quarters and looked both directions before he popped his head back in. Now that the coast was clear he slid his tunic off and examined the bites and scratches Baekhyun had left on his chest and shoulders. He noticed that the scratches traveled from his clavicle to just below his navel. Those were the darkest red, but the others were fading already. The bites on his shoulders were fading slightly as well, yet it was very clear that they were bite marks. Chanyeol tilted his head as he looked at the fading hickey on his neck. No wonder the medic was looking at him strangely earlier.

Heat crept into his cheeks as he remembered the visit to the medical ward to get his nose looked at. The medic took one look at him and asked if he had been in a fight and why he did not go to the combat tent.

_“I wasn’t on the battlefield.” Chanyeol said. He felt his face grow warm._

_The medic cocked his head to the side. “Then where did you get that bloody nose and black eye?”_

_Chanyeol cleared his throat. “I got into a fight on my way back from the human realm.” He walked towards the chair that the medic ushered him to and sat down. He let the medic take him by the chin and tilt his head while he examined him. The medic tilted his head to the right and paused and then released Chanyeol’s face._

_“Human realm, huh?” He turned around to grab some salves. “I haven’t been there in a long time, what is it like now?” The glass containers clinked as he sifted through them._

_Chanyeol frowned. “It was nice for a while, but now the humans have gotten caught up in some type of war and my station was destroyed.” He sighed. “I was visiting to see if any of my favorite humans had survived, but everything was rubble by the time I made it there.”_

_The medic turned around holding several containers. He opened one and dipped a bit of cloth into it. He dabbed around Chanyeol’s eye with it and then massaged it in gently. “No survivors?” He put the cloth down and opened another container and scooped a dark thick cream out and began rubbing that around Chanyeol’s eye. It had a cooling effect and Chanyeol could feel his swelling go down. “Then who attacked you?”_

_Chanyeol swallowed. “There was a stray…_ demon _lurking around and I tried to capture him.” His palms had started sweating and he was worried that the medic was getting too suspicious about his injuries. He looked around the room to avoid eye contact. He stared at the entry way as he heard footsteps approaching._

_The medic put the final salve around Chanyeol’s eye and then moved on to tending to his nose. He wet the cloth and wiped away some of the dried blood from the corners of his nostrils. “He got away?” The medic gingerly prodded Chanyeol’s nose with his fingers feeling for the break. “Definitely broken.” He turned back towards his cabinet and shuffled through the jars._

_Chanyeol pursed his lips, “Yeah, I tried to talk to him, but he kicked me in the face when I grabbed his ankle.” He kept seeing Baekhyun retching in his mind’s eye and flinched. He hadn’t realized the medic was standing in front of him with two containers of salve and a strange tool._

_“Don’t worry it won’t hurt. I just need this to make sure it’s straight and I loaned out my other tools to the field medics and they haven’t returned them yet.” He held the tool up to Chanyeol’s face and squinted. “Why were you talking to the demon? Aren’t orders that we kill them on sight when in the Human realm?” The footsteps paused._

_“I was a missionary not a warrior on this trip.” Chanyeol said. He closed his eyes as the medic began putting the first salve on his nose. It burned deep, as his cartilage and arteries were moving around to fix themselves. He always hated that salve. Its properties were regeneration but it always felt incredibly uncomfortable. The footsteps picked back up and Chanyeol opened his eyes to see a Power pass by. He swallowed nervously._

_The medic then wiped the excess salve off with the cloth and then held the tool up to Chanyeol’s face once more before dabbing some of the second salve on it. “I see.” He applied more of the second salve around Chanyeol’s eye and then paused. “Would you like some of this on your neck?”_

_Chanyeol furrowed his brows and opened his eyes. “What’s wrong with my neck?” He touched it on both sides and frowned slightly. He could not feel anything out of the ordinary. His skin felt smooth for the most part, maybe a small raised bump, but Chanyeol guessed it was a vein._

_“It helps the bruising fade.” The medic said and then shrugged. His expression was unreadable._

_“Um, sure…actually can I have some of that to take with me?” He tried to keep his cheeks from reddening as he thought about the way Baekhyun raked his nails down his chest. He wanted to cover those up before he put on his armor. In fact, he still needed to go pick it up._

_“No. We are not allowed to give any of these out. They may fall into the wrong hands.” The medic placed the jars into the cabinet and closed it. There were no locks or any form of anything to block entry because Angels did not keep secrets nor did they steal. He turned towards Chanyeol and then dabbed him with the cloth on his neck and then placed the cloth on the counter._

_Chanyeol nodded. “That’s fine. I just thought it’d be helpful on the battlefield.” He stood and then stared at the medic. He knew the medic’s name but now he could not recall it. He smiled at him and nodded again. “Thank you, Dom-” he paused, grasping for his name in his mind._

_“Taeyong. My name is Taeyong.” He scrutinized Chanyeol with narrow eyes. His hands lightly touched the cabinet handles._

_“Y-yeah. Dom-Taeyong, thank you.” Chanyeol turned on his heel and dashed out of the medical ward._

Chanyeol frowned. Why had Dom-Taeyong given him that look? Chanyeol's frown deepened. The Dominion must have suspected something. He looked back at his reflection and glared at the scratches. How did he end up in a situation like this? He sighed and pulled the white tunic back on. His scratches stung a bit as the fabric clung to them, but Chanyeol figured that was part of his punishment.

He stepped out of his room and began walking back to the armory. After everything Yixing had told him, he still had not picked up his armor. He let out a shaky breath as he neared the armory. he could hear the telltale clanging of metal on metal and smell the smoke as he rounded the corner. Angels rushed through the streets carrying various bits of supplies.

Chanyeol paused when he came to the front of the armory. Dread threaded its way through his muscles. He was not sure if he could face Yixing again. He stumbled when another angel bumped into him as they ran into the smith shop. _Just get it over with._ Chanyeol heaved a sigh and entered the armory.

He coughed as the heat smothered him for a moment. Various smiths were drenched with sweat as they worked. Their muscled arms rippled with each swing of the hammer. Chanyeol scanned the room for Yixing. Several angels pushed past him again as they rushed to the storage room. Chanyeol shook his head and walked over to Yixing’s station. It was empty.

He spun around, eyes searching. “Where’s Yixing?” No one answered him. He pursed his lips and walked over to another smith. The smith looked up at him warily. “Do you know where Yixing is?”

The smith scoffed. “Didn’t you hear? He’s Seraphim now.” He raised the hammer in his hand and slammed it down on the red-hot metal of the heavenfire sword.

Chanyeol's eyes widened. The whole shop seemed to sway back and forth. he took a step backwards and bumped into a large metal container that held blessed metal. It clanged as the contents shifted. “What? Why?”

The smith shrugged. He continued to hit the metal with his hammer. He flipped it and slammed the hammer down a few times, flattening out the other edge. The metal dimmed as it cooled and the smith moved it to the oven to reheated it. He wiped his hands on his leather apron and regarded Chanyeol with a raised eyebrow. “We can’t just have one Seraphim.”

Chanyeol's mind raced. Yixing was a Dominion – as were all of the service based angels. They usually specialized in a specific role: smith, medic, instructor, etc. They _never_ moved up in rank. It was unheard of. _What was Suho thinking?_ Chanyeol met the smith’s eyes and stared at him. The smith shrugged again and returned to the oven to remove the sword. He began hammering the edges, this time making them thinner on the edges.

Everyone around Chanyeol continued to work – placing the blessed ingots of metal in a pot and heating the contents until it melted; pouring the melted metal into molds and dipping those into water causing huge plumes of steam to billow towards the ceiling; hammering the edges down until they were thin and flat; sharpening the edges against a large spinning grinder; finally polishing the sword and dipping it in a large vat of holy water to bless it.

He watched them for what felt like an hour and then remembered why he came to the smith shop in the first place. He abandoned the table of metal ingots and walked towards the storage room. Inside several angels searched for their armor. Each Archangel was fitted with specialized armor that complimented their shape, fight style, and elemental affinity. Most archangels were fire-based, like Chanyeol, but a few used water.

Chanyeol searched the wall for his armor. He found it high in the corner out of standing reach. He leapt into the air, flapping his wings lazily to hover as he gathered all the parts he needed. When he reached for his sword he paused. He glanced down at the angels below him and then back at his sword. He grabbed it by the hook on the wall and swooped out of the storage room.

Once back in his room, he laid out all his armor and studied it. It had been made and repaired multiple times by Yixing. The chest plate was smooth and lightweight. His fire emblem was carved into the center of it. Chanyeol traced it with his finger. Next, he lifted and examined the wrist guards, turning them as he drunk in every detail. Once upon a time, he had been excited to don this armor. But now, his mind – and heart – were heavy.

Chanyeol's gaze fell on his sword. _Next time I see you, it better be on the battlefield._  Baekhyun's words echoed in his head. He picked up the sword, touching the hilt for the first time since he had met the demon. Could he harm him?

What used to feel like an extension of his arm, now felt foreign. The leather wrapped around the grip felt soft but gritty. Years of battling had worn down its original fitting so that it had some slight pilling. He squeezed it and lifted his arm to first position. It was just as lightweight as he remembered.

He channeled his energy and the sword sputtered to life. Orange and red flames licked the edges, ebbing and flowing as Chanyeol poured his uncertain thoughts into it. Baekhyun passed through his mind and they roared, nearly touching his ceiling. Chanyeol glanced up at the pristine ceiling. Heavenfire did not damage structures in Heaven.

Chanyeol moved his arm through several drills, the flames remained, leaving a trail of light as the sword swung through the air. He continued running drills until he had gone through them all. Every move still felt as natural as they did the day he learned them.

Chanyeol spun, pointing his sword out in front of him, at his reflection. His tunic had fallen open on the chest and he caught sight of the scratches under a thin sheen of sweat. The flames went out. Chest heaving, Chanyeol stared at his reflection. His arm trembled and the sword clattered to the ground. _Next time I see you, it better be on the battlefield._ The words repeated themselves in his head. Images of Baekhyun's disgusted face flew through his mind.

Chanyeol bent to pick up his sword and hesitated, hand outstretched. He stood back up and glared at his reflection. He was an angel. His lips pressed themselves into a thin line. He was a warrior for Heaven. His eyes narrowed. He would see Baekhyun on the battlefield. His jaw clenched. Baekhyun would die by his sword.

On the ground, the sword came aflame. The flames were icy blue.

 

~*~

Kai followed Suho as he dashed through the streets of Heaven again, robes billowing. Angels did doubletakes as Kai strode past them. Several alarms went off, but Suho put a stop to them as soon as they started. He barely kept up with Suho as he traveled down the streets and almost missed him when he leapt into the air. The angel was moving incredibly fast.

Kai spread his dark purple leathery wings and took off after the Seraphim. In a few hard beats of his wings he was a hairsbreadth away from the angel. He glanced down at the roads of Heaven and wondered where they were going to, if not the Seraphim living quarters. Suho swiftly made a hairpin turn, momentarily leaving Kai’s sight before he soared down to a small bit of land that was untouched by Heaven’s pure whiteness.

The Demon Lord landed with a soft thud, bending his knees as he did so. He glanced around at the greenery surrounding him. In the distance, he saw the tall white buildings of Heaven in stark contrast to the rolling green hills they were on now. He looked at Suho in confusion and then back towards Heaven.

The angel grimaced. “Only Seraphim are allowed here. No one else knows of its existence aside from the Thrones, but they cannot travel here because they are too heavy to stand on the fragile ground we are on.”

Kai prodded the iridescent green blades of grass with his toe. Bits of it crumbled, revealing a hole. But, just as quickly as the hole appeared, it regrew. Off to Kai’s right was a large river of sparkling water. It was crystal clear and rushing rapidly. He assumed it was the source of the Holy Water. “Why bring me here then?”

Suho whipped around, white robes billowing elegantly as he did so. “Their ears cannot reach here.” He turned away again and briskly walked to a small golden hut. The brindle it was made of glistened in the light. Even though there was no wind in Heaven, he felt a gentle breeze kiss his skin.

Kai hurried after Suho to the hut. He had so many more questions, but he figured they would be better left for another day, when the impending doom of everything as they knew it was not on their plates. He could feel his own deep violet robes swirling about him in the invisible breeze as he neared the hut.

Kai paused studying the golden hut closely. The bristles were moving as if they were alive. He reached to touch one and it pricked him, drawing dark blood to the tip of his finger. He glanced to Suho, who has already opened the door and crossed the threshold. He brought his finger to his lips and sucked the blood off absentmindedly.

Once inside he was thrown to his knees. A powerful pressure forcing him down. He tried to stand up, but the pressure only increased. His hand broke through the ground. Kai stared in horror at the swirling blackness beneath him.  It was nothing like the darkness in Hell. It was the complete absence of light. He shuddered. Suho gestured with his hand and the pressure left him. Kai straightened himself, wiping his hands off on his robes. He looked around the room. The walls were all golden with curling angelic inscriptions on them. Cream colored furniture decorated the room. Soft blankets were draped over each chair elegantly. He glanced down to his feet, the hole had sealed itself.

Kai stepped forward. “What the _Hell_ was that?”

Suho gave him a dark smile. “Just humbling you.” He quickly ushered Kai over the foyer and down a hallway. It was just as sophisticatedly decorated as the foyer. Large white wooden doors lined the walls. The hut was larger on the inside than it appeared.

They came to a stop in front of a large ivory colored door. Suho placed his hand on it and it swung open. Kai followed him through the doorway, questions swirling in his mind. There was so much to Heaven that he did not know about.

The room was impossibly large. It was white with gold accents for the most part. Pillars were spaced out evenly throughout the room. Plush chairs and chaise lounges were expertly arranged around the area. There was a water fountain in the center where clear water bubbled out the top. Bowls of human fruit adorned white marbled tables and vines of ivy creeped up the backs of the chairs. It was the prefect mix of nature and Heaven.

Eight pairs of eyes bored holes in Kai’s exposed skin as he entered. He kept his face perfectly expressionless despite all the awe he was experiencing. Heaven definitely had more secrets than he had ever thought.

Suho introduced him with a brisk gesture of his hands. “The Demon Lord in the flesh.” His robe billowed around him in the invisible breeze. He smiled serenely – as he always did.

Kai squared his shoulders and scrutinized every angel. Inside he was shaking. He knew he was powerful, but the power he had felt earlier was more than he had ever dreamed of. He wondered if he would be able to battle Leviathan at all.

“What is he doing here?” Someone said. They stood from their kneeling position and crossed their arms. The other Seraphim remained on their knees, praying.

“There’s been a change of plans.” Suho motioned for everyone to stand. His hair was gently lifted from his forehead in the breeze. Kai wondered if the breeze was his power radiating through the hut.

Kai watched as they followed his orders wordlessly. He knew a few of the faces, but as he had only been in Heaven a few short years, so, he did not know everyone. Yet, he continued to make eye contact with everyone as if he knew them. He held each gaze for as long as the angel looked at him and only then did he move on to the next.

Suho then stepped aside for Kai to take the stage. “The Demon Lord will go into detail about our new plan.” He clasped his hands in front of him, his sleeves burying them as they came together. Sometimes, Kai wondered if Suho played up his innocence even in Heaven.

He took a deep breath and composed his face. “Leviathan has gained insuperable power by now as you’ve all seen.” He paused as everyone nodded and shifted. “His seal weakens with each day that goes by, and he will only grow stronger as the rising chaos from the human realm sustains him.” He glanced at everyone’s face. “We know that his awakening is a direct result of interpersonal relationships between demons and angels. It has been happening for cycles now, and this time I aim to put a stop to it.”

“How?” One lone Seraphim interrupted him. Kai studied his face. He had dark circles under his eyes and his pallor was pale. Yet, he also had a calmness about him. His white silk robes swirled in the wind.

Kai lowered his gaze to the ground. “By making a deal with the first of both our kind, Lucifer.”

Whispers traveled between the eight angels. Eyebrows furrowed and smoothed. Mouths were terse as they hissed to each other under their breaths. Kai waited until they died down before continuing. “Leviathan needs an angel conduit, so what better way to close the connection, than by turning the angel into a demon?” His lips quirked when the Seraphim gaped at him.

“You can’t do that!” More shouts followed and Suho had to quiet them. His face was stern. He commanded an aura of power that made even Kai want to bow to him.

Kai glanced at him gratefully. He felt his robes whip against his legs. “I can’t, but Lucifer can. He was the first angel, the first Fallen Angel, and the first demon. He was cursed with the _Kiss of Death_ , and it is only he that can perform the full transformation of an angel.” He paused and then exhaled. “He has some sort of fascination with the abomination. A desire to seek and ravage everything you and even I stand for.”

Grumbles rumbled through the eight Seraphim. They looked to each other and then to Suho. “How will this stop Leviathan from rising?”

Another question was shouted. “What’s the price of the transformation?” They shifted uneasily in the silence, fidgeting with their robes and touching their faces and hair.

Kai carefully kept his expression unreadable. “Because Leviathan cannot operate through two demonic spirits. He needs an angelic and a demonic spirit intertwined to rise.” He paused and then smiled. “As for the price, that is for me to be concerned with, not you.” He nodded towards Suho. “Suho?” He dropped the honorific just to get under the skin of the Seraphim. Several of them bristled giving Kai pleasure.

Suho glided over to Kai and bowed his head. “What the Demon Lord says is true.” He tilted his head as he looked out to the eight Seraphim. “I will transport the conduit, Kyungsoo, to Lucifer while you all remain here.” His voice was a calm as ever, but that did not fool the Seraphim.

“What?! No.” Shouts broke out and several of the Seraphim rushed towards Suho. They did not touch him, just crowded around him in an effort to stop him from leaving.

“You can’t go alone.” One Seraphim said, he looked like the old blacksmith, Kai thought. He vaguely remembered him from the day of his tour in Heaven.

“Yixing, I will have the Demon Lord with me.” Suho gestured towards Kai. He smiled radiantly. Only Kai could see the doubt behind his eyes.

Kai took the opportunity to grin devilishly at the angel. He was not helping his case by doing that, but the reaction it garnered amused Kai and quite frankly he needed something to make him laugh. After spending all his time either crying or moping, some form of positive emotion was welcomed.

Yixing blanched. “You can’t be serious? How do we know he won’t betray you?” Several other Seraphim chattered behind him, repeating the same questions.

Kai’s grin fell from his face. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. These angels were the worst. He tried to give them the excuse that they had not rested, but even a lack of rest did not make angels this paranoid. Unless what Suho had mentioned earlier was true and angels were becoming less pure and more flawed as time went on. He sighed. “Because I love Kyungsoo.”

The Seraphim muttered amongst themselves for a moment. Their eyes shifting from Suho to Kai and then back to Suho. Kai frowned, the longer they took. Their robes swayed and their hair swished as the breeze grew stronger.

Yixing spoke up again – he seemed to be the spokesperson, “Ser-Suho, forgive me, but you recently told us of your involvement with the previous Demon Lord. Won’t it be dangerous for you to visit Hell?”

Kai laughed. It was a few moments before he stopped and when he did he was met with stony glares. “Lucifer does not reside in Hell. He hasn’t for millennia.”

More hushed whispers. Nervous glances met Kai’s gaze and then quickly flitted away.

Kai pulled Suho aside, his hand was warm on the angel’s cool skin. “You haven’t told them your part of the plan, have you?” He nodded to the Seraphim. The wind grew stronger, whipping his robes around his ankles.

Suho glared at Kai but then smiled and said through clenched teeth. “It is better if they do not know.” At first glance, he looked like he was having a pleasant conversation with Kai, but Kai knew better, so he gazed deep into the angel’s eyes. They were stormy. It almost made him flinch.

“I thought angels did not lie?” Kai cocked his head to the side. He returned Suho’s smile with one of his own. The winds grew even stronger. Kai raised his hand to brush his hair out of his eyes. He wondered how the other angels did not notice the change, but when he turned to look at them, they were still caught in a gentle breeze.

“I’m not lying to them.” He also tilted his head and the smile left his face. “Stop while you’re ahead, child.” The threat in his voice was punctuated by stronger winds.

“You’re lying by omission, Suho.” Kai leaned in closer to Suho. The angel may be shorter than him, but even Kai knew not to push him too far. He leaned back and held his hair in place, it stung as it whipped into his eyes.

“They do not need to know.” Suho growled. His robes were swirling violently around him. His hair was caught in the whirlwind as well, creating a red halo around his head.

“What don’t we need to know?” A different angel spoke up. The gentle breeze snapped back into place.

Kai smirked and adjusted his obsidian crown. It was a wonder it had not fallen off. “Just that your precious leader has agreed to give his soul to Lucifer in exchange of resurrecting the previous Demon Lord.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm baaaaaack~ I've been working hard to finish FOTA for you all, so here's part one! I will be writing diligently to finish part two for you all soon as well. I know this update is very plot and lore heavy, so I will post a quick reference sheet for you all to look at if you have any questions. Feel free to comment! I love reading your responses and talking to you all.
> 
> Oh and if you were wondering what the inspiration was for the chapter, the title is the geometry term for the infinity sign. ;)
> 
> Until next time lovelies<3


	11. Metanoia (Lemiscate Part Two)

“You can’t do that!” Yixing shouted. He had approached Suho and was gripping the white sleeve of his robe, his own swaying in the controlled wind rolling through area.

Suho whipped towards Kai, hand raised, tearing his sleeve from Yixing’s grip, and expression fierce. He hissed, “What have you done?”

The sting of his hand colliding with Kai’s skin nearly made him see stars. Kai blinked a few times, rubbing his cheek. But the rest of the angels had forgotten he was in the room. They were surrounding Suho, yelling and jostling each other in order to stand in front of Suho. Kai watched, grinning and still nursing his cheek. He had never seen angels react so strongly to news. Nor had he seen them behave so erratically. Angels were supposed to be pillars of calmness and purity, but he could see the panic in their faces and hear the fear in their voices.

“You can’t give your soul to Lucifer!” Someone shouted and pulled at Suho. His eyes never left Kai, and if looks could kill, Kai would have been dead a million times over. No matter how roughly he was shoved, his expression was the same. Eyebrows pointed downward in anger, eyes flashing with barely contained rage, lips set in a line so thin they may as well not have existed. His robes were tugged more, pulling the lapel up against his neck, but he still had not reacted. _He was a pillar._ Of all the angels, Suho was perhaps the most experienced so of course he remained unfazed, but his eyes, oh his eyes pierced Kai down to his very being.

The wind slowed to a stop. Kai felt the silk brush against his calves in a whisper. He looked around as the air started to grow cold. Goose pimples sprouted over his skin. It’d been a long time since he had ever felt temperatures this low. When his breath came out in visible clouds, the other angels seemed to come to reason. They dumbly stilled, shouts dulling to nothing and their arms circling their bodies. They looked around, meeting glances and stepped back, giving Suho space.

Suho stood motionless, his robes in disarray, but everything else was in perfect order. His expression was icy, much like the air, and he silently fixed his robes and fluffed his wings. Waiting a few long moments, he finally spoke, his gaze leaving Kai for the first time, and landing harshly on the Seraphim in front of him. “I’d like to thank you all for your concern.” He clasped his fingers together gracefully. “But never, in my millennia of existence have I ever seen such indecency from angels before.” He turned to Kai. “Demons, yes. But angels?” He gave everyone a steely glare. The temperature dropped even lower.

“Now, as your Seraphim, I’d like to remind you that the choices I have come to, are from the Higher Power, and they will _not_ be questioned.” He smiled his signature serene smile and gestured elegantly towards Kai. “As the Demon Lord so _kindly_ , informed you. I will be paying a visit to Lucifer not just for our brother Kyungsoo, but for the benefit of Heaven itself.” He fixed Kai with an unreadable look. “We need a true demon to perform the sealing. And there is only one that I can trust.”

Whispers erupted again. This time the Seraphim looked thoughtful. Kai matched Suho’s stare with one of his own. His thoughts raced. How much more about the cycle did Suho know that he was keeping to himself. They challenged each other with the stare, waiting for the other to back down. Kai smirked and Suho mirrored him with his ever present serene-smile, teeth glittering in their blinding whiteness.

“What of the blocks?” Minseok asked suddenly. The rest of the Seraphim shared nervous glances and the whispers started again as the tension in the room skyrocketed.

Their expressions piqued Kai’s interest. He raised an eyebrow at Suho, “Yeah, what of the blocks, Seraphim?” He was egging him on, but it was only to mask his own ignorance.

A vein in Suho’s neck throbbed and he gave them a glare that could freeze oceans. “The blocks are not up for discussion.”

“But, if we release the limitations on the Fallen, they could help us fight Leviathan.” This time it was Yixing who spoke. Kai was beginning to understand why Suho confided in him so much. He was like the voice of reason. Of course, the angel could not be thinking that now as his lip twitched at the statement, but he kept his expression almost perfectly emotionless.

Still, _limitations on the Fallen_? He wondered just how strong he actually was if he still had something holding back his full power. He fixed Suho with a look. One that said they needed to talk in private and it was only the smallest of twitches of his brow that let Kai know he was going to get that talk.

“Not up for discussion and that is final.” Suho said.

There was grumbling amongst the angels before someone spoke again, “We can put it to a vote.”

For the first time since Kai had known Suho he saw a flash of fear pass over his face so fast he thought he imagined it. Just how strong were the Fallen? Kai watched as the Seraphim went through the vote, thoroughly enjoying seeing Suho sweat, but mostly curious. He was one of three that voted no and the rest voted yes. Suho was outnumbered and his control over the group was slipping now that they all realized they had just as much power as him. Angel dynamics never failed to entertain Kai.

After the vote, the rest of the seraphim filed out of the building and made their way back to Heaven. Kai lingered, watching an extremely anxious Suho chew on his lip. He sighed and asked, “What has you so spooked?”

Suho paused, his eyes wild. “I think I may have messed up.”

“What makes you say that?” A spike of fear pierced Kai in his stomach. Everything was so delicate now. Just one misstep would send the whole plan astray and possibly cost them their lives. Perhaps he should not have egged on the others. They didn’t know it yet, but they really needed to rely on Suho, especially since he knew way more than he was letting on.

“I’m in way over my head, Kai,” he braced himself against a pillar. “Just promise me, that if all of this goes to shit, that you’ll uphold your part in all this. You will sacrifice yourself.”

Okay, now Suho was cursing. This was a bad sign. Not only that, but with him being so cryptic, it made Kai’s fear strengthen. “What are you not telling me?” He breathed, calming the jitters that were starting at the base of his leathery wings. He needed to look strong, if not for himself, but also for the angel that was beginning to show cracks in his mask.

Suho glanced at Kai out of the corner of his eye, as if he could not face him head on. “Releasing the blocks opens all Fallen to be vassals of Leviathan.”

“Why didn’t you say something?!” With everything teetering on the delicate balance, something like this would throw everything into Leviathan’s field. They needed to _win_ not hand over the battle.

“Because, they’re right, if any of us stand a chance, we need _you_ at full power.” He turned to face Kai finally, drawing up to his full height.

“I thought you were resurrecting Jongdae?” The previous Demon Lord had a role in all of this. He was supposed to perform the seal, and if he couldn’t, then Kai would have to take matters into his own hands.

Suho smiled ruefully, “There’s a huge chance Lucifer may betray us. We have a not-so-pleasant history.”

“Okay, then what can you tell me about the blocks?” Kai needed to know everything if they were betting on a wild card. A wild card that may just get them all killed and end life for everyone, humans included, as they knew it.

“When angels fall from Heaven, they have blocks placed within them that cap them at sixty percent. What you saw today? That was me at eighty percent. Couple all that raw power with a demonic spirit and you dwellers of Hell can actually pose a huge threat to us.” Suho explained.

“So, you guys have been playing God and limiting us in the battlefield for how long?” Kai was enraged. He knew Heaven had its secrets, but he had no idea just how deep they ran. Thing certainly could be as perfect and pristine they wanted everyone to believe. Angels falling in lust, keeping secrets, betraying each other? Just how much of their façade of purity was just that, a façade?

Suho scoffed, “You don’t even know the extent of it.” He gestured for Kai to head towards the door. “Please, take your leave.”

“When will the blocks be released?” Kai asked, standing rooted in his spot. He wasn’t leaving until he had all the information he wanted. Not when everything was teetering in the void. He needed to know everything.

“For you? As soon as we start the preparations. As for the rest, not until the battle. We can’t risk it being any earlier. Please take your leave, I need to make sure the preparations run smoothly.” He nodded to the door again and this time Kai obliged.

The return to Hell was filled with conflicting thoughts and worry. He was conflicted because there was so much he did not know about Heaven, even after spending time there as an angel. Now, that he was in Hell, he had no way to learn all of Heaven’s secrets, but suddenly he felt like there were some things that needed to be put up for discussion between the two realms. Going back to the nature of angels, with so many that had fallen, the Forsaken included, were all angels destined to fall? Who chose which ones to kick out? Suho had committed all sorts of crimes against angel code, so why was he the most powerful? Perhaps that was why God abandoned them all. He saw the flaw in the beings he had created and left them to fend for themselves.

It was no wonder that Lucifer fell when God created humans. Because then, all of God’s angels had been replaced, by primitive, less biased life and that had bothered him deeply. Kai thought of all of this and the more he did, the less likely it was for Lucifer to cooperate. He hated humans, why would he ever want to help them? Still, a darker thought, what if he was behind it all?

Kai was so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn’t realized his room was occupied until it was too late. His breath caught in his chest and gone were the worries clouding his mind. Replaced by first confusion, then a warmth that spread through him at the sight of his one and only angel.

“Kyungsoo how did you get back here?” Kai asked, landing softly and retracting his wings fully. Now that he was out of the icy cold of Heaven, he felt his skin warming and relished it. He had never spent so much time there after his fall and the place still unnerved him, angel or demon.

The angel stared at him, sparkling drops of perspiration running down the side of his head. Gone was the purple tunic of Hell and in its place, was a long flowing gauzy robe. Circling his temples was a golden ringlet of leaves, resting in his dark hair. His eyes held countless words. Words that could only be described in the contrasting tongue of demonic language for angelic was too pure. He stood slowly, closing in on Kai and placed a gentle hand on his chest. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”

Overcome with emotion, Kai raised Kyungsoo's hand to his lips. He brushed them over silky fingers and gazed into the angel’s depthless eyes. “I am always happy to see you,” he kissed his fingers again, “but you should be in the tower, where you are safe.”

“I needed to see you one last time,” Kyungsoo said, staring into Kai’s eyes. Fear resided in them, but it was heavily layered under another emotion. An emotion that was forbidden in Heaven. Pure lust. He snaked his arms around Kai’s neck bringing their faces close and ghosted his plush lips over Kai’s.

Unable to refuse the angel in any way, shape, or form, Kai gave into temptation, putting the urgency of the plan behind him. Kyungsoo was all he wanted. All he needed. He may never see him again if the plan failed, so this moment, this forbidden moment, was something he was allowing himself for the last time.

Their mouths connected with the tenderness of a gentle breeze. The heat of their bodies overpowering even the sweltering heat of Hell. Kai roamed his hands over the soft expanses of Kyungsoo's glowing skin, taking in the creamy tone tinted pink in the dim lighting of Hell. His touches were feather light, yet full of so much adoration, so much love.

There was no one that he could ever love more. No one who could affect him in this way. No one who made him soften all his edges, open his heart, and cast aside worries. In his room in Hell, Kyungsoo was his piece of Heaven.

The robe drifted to the limestone floor as Kai pushed it off narrow shoulders. Kyungsoo was so beautiful standing bare only for his eyes. Kai’s gaze traveled low, absorbing every slope and curve of _his_ angel’s body. Drinking in the way his length was growing before him, engorging and leaking.

With his lips to Kyungsoo's ear, Kai whispered, “Release your wings.” He wanted to see them, in their soft feathery glory for the last time. He wanted to dress them with kisses and show Kyungsoo just how much he truly loved him

Languidly, the angel obliged and his wings unfurled, starkly white in the red lighting of Hell. Delicate and marvelous to behold. Small tufts of down sprinkled to the floor when Kyungsoo shuddered. Kai circled him, standing behind him now and trailed a finger across the top ridge following it down to the junction on his back where he laid the first of his kisses.

Ever so softly, he peppered his lips, hardly touching the angel but eliciting a quiet whine nonetheless. He just loved him so much. With fingers as light as a whisper he caressed the angel’s wings as he lowered his head to nuzzle his neck. Gradually tasting Kyungsoo's skin with the tip of his tongue, he fixed his lips to the angel’s spot, marking him.

“Kai,” Kyungsoo breathed, letting his head loll against the demon lord. “Oh Kai,” he said again, screwing his eyes shut. His wings trembled at every touch from Kai. It was just too soft, too good.

Kai circled the angel again, tugging the necklace of black bones of protection from his neck. They landed on top of Kyungsoo's robe, their darkness contradicting the light. Next, Kai shed his obsidian crown, releasing his hair. He loosened the rope tying his garb together and let if fall open, smiling at the angel’s response to his exposed skin.

“You are mine,” he growled as he led the angel to the bed they had shared not too long ago. A small huff escaped Kyungsoo's lips as he collided with the bed, wings sprawled in such a divine way. Kai crawled over him, settling when their foreheads touched and sighed into another kiss.

Kissing the angel was different now. The gentleness replaced with a stronger craving, a need to be connected to the angel, to be inside him. Beneath him, Kyungsoo mewled, tangling his fingers into the soft strands and holding Kai to his mouth. Their bodies fully touching, Kai began slowly grinding his length against Kyungsoo's, the slickness of their precum coating him and sticking to his skin.

Kai needed this. He needed to feel the heat of Kyungsoo, to see the whites of his wings, to touch his tongue to Kyungsoo's as they filled each other’s mouths. There was something so intoxicating about the way the angel tasted and it was leaving Kai drunk. He inhaled deeply, taking in every last bit of Kyungsoo and moaned when he felt the angel’s dick twitch beneath him.

Dragging his hand across hot skin he slipped it between them, closing around both of their lengths and began stroking. Long languid motions punctuated by him biting and nibbling at the angel’s lips, neck, and clavicle. He marked him again, swirling his tongue over the deep bruise flowing over pale skin. Kyungsoo's legs fell open and he canted his hips upwards. He tangled them around Kai’s waist, pressing him hard against him, giving him more pressure, more want, more need.

Taking notice, Kai brought his fingers to the angel’s mouth and slipped them in, wetting them and then positioned them at the forbidden entrance. He slid in with ease, the angel eager to take him and began stretching. The angel was pliant and squirmed, eyelids fluttering and the singsong language of angels trickling from swollen lips.

“Please,” Kyungsoo panted, angling his hips as he ground into Kai harder, their coated dicks sliding over one another. He gasped, digging his fingers into hot skin and begged again, “I need you inside me.”

Gratifying the angel’s desires, Kai shifted until he was resting on his heels, cock ready to enter the tight rim of muscles. He aimed himself, hardly able to wait, and plunged inside. Sex itself was always amazing, but making love to _his_ angel was so much more. Kai’s eyes fell closed and his jaw slackened as the angel’s heat engulfed him.

He slid out to his tip and then submerged himself again into the tantalizing incalescence. The angel quivered, lips spewing even more words in angelic, rebounding off the brimstone walls. His back arched deliciously, wings straining against the bed and veins in his neck rising to the surface. His face was a mixture of pure pleasure and incoherency, lips parted and eyes hazed over. He clutched at Kai, fingers grazing skin, searching for purchase.

Kai leaned down, letting the angel embrace him. A shadow fell over them and Kai realized that his own wings had unfurled and were pressing against soft feathery down. He attached his lips to the angel’s dipping his tongue into his mouth once more. He wanted to be inside Kyungsoo in all ways possible. He wanted to feel him, to taste him, to bring him to the edge and pull him over.

His pace quickened, littering the air with moans in between their kisses. Kai buried himself deeper, feeling the familiar coil tighten in his abdomen. He twisted his fingers into the dark strands, breathing Kyungsoo as they kissed. He could not get enough of him.

A groan spilled from the angel, a mixture of angelic language falling into the harsh demonic at Kai’s reckless thrusts. He tensed around Kai’s length, clearly reaching his climax and a swath of hot cum spurted over their stomachs.

“I love you,” Kyungsoo gasped for air. His heart was thudding in his chest so strongly that Kai could feel it.

The edge was within reach and Kai slowed to long gradual thrusts. He locked eyes with Kyungsoo, staring so deep into them that he was falling, falling, falling.

“I love you too, my angel.”

 

When he awoke, the angel was nowhere to be found. Kai half thought he imagined the whole tryst, but a single white feather clinging to his chest told him otherwise. Slowly the gears in his mind began to turn and Kai shot to his feet, wings unfurling and lifting him to the air. He dove towards the ground, snatching his robes from the ground and slipping into them as he phased through the limestone.

Reaching Luhan’s room Kai’s mind was assaulted in the most violent of ways. He saw images in his mind that even he could never have thought of. Hands clawing up from the earth, maggot ridden and squirming as they detached from their bodies. He saw bloated bodies decaying and expelling their putrid contents. He saw angels being tortured and demons being drowned in holy water. He saw himself standing over Kyungsoo, holding a gruesome dagger poised over his heart and his eyes completely black. He watched in slow motion and the dagger pierced Kyungsoo's skin, spilling out his marbled blood and flaying his flesh. Kai tried to blink it all away, but the scene raged on until he was reaching inside the wound and ripping out his heart.

Luhan stood before him except he looked nothing like the Luhan Kai knew. Where there was fawn colored hair was now black with shiny obsidian colored horns protruding from a raised brow ridge. Luhan’s baby smooth face was blackened like oil. Pure hatred resided in his eyes and his body was engulfed in flames. He approached Kai slowly, his voice coming out deeper and echoed. He looked like Wrath personified.

“So, you’ve seen my true form now, Demon Lord.” He smiled and his teeth were sharpened into tiny points. “Does it frighten you?”

Kai swallowed thickly. He tried to raise the guards in his mind but nothing worked. No matter how hard he tried to pull the wall up, it would not budge. “Release me Luhan,” he said with a lot less power than he wanted. He had never felt so weak in his existence and it frightened him. Suho needed to release his blocks soon, or things were going to get out of control quickly.

Luhan’s smile widened, “As you wish, my Lord.” His body shimmered before returning to its normal state.

The blackness that surrounded him vanished and Kai snarled at Luhan, rushing at him and slamming him to the wall. He needed to remind Luhan that he still had strength and could still order him around. Well not just Luhan, but he also needed to remind himself after feeling so helpless just now. “For as long as you call me your Lord, you will _never_ do that to me again.”

Luhan cocked his head and blinked. Kai felt him probe his mind once more, easily slipping through the cracks in Kai’s defense and then he smiled. “You don’t know, do you?”

“ _Get out of my head!_ ” Kai shouted and Luhan flinched against the wall as if he had been slapped. Kai pressed his arm harder against his neck. “The angel is gone, you are going to search for him. Only after you find him are you to report back to me. Do _not_ touch my mind again. You will know what I want you to know and that is final. Oh,” he paused, “release the Forsaken while you’re at it.”

Luhan’s face darkened, but he nodded his head as much as he could and said, “As you wish, my Lord.” He was no longer smiling, instead a grimace was painted over his features, and honestly Kai missed the way Luhan was when he still had Sehun. This new Luhan rubbed him the wrong way.

“My Lord?” Luhan said when Kai had still not released him, “The Forsaken, are you sure?”

Kai nodded and then bit his lip. “Am I making the wrong choice?”

Luhan gently pressed against Kai’s arm and Kai released him. He rubbed his neck before he spoke, “Are we that desperate?”

Kai pursed his lips. If Kyungsoo had gotten out of Heaven by whatever means he did, then they had to pull out all the big guns. He frowned and then sighed, “Yeah, alert the others and see if you can contact Yifan so he isn’t blindsided.”

Luhan nodded and then spread his wings. He seemed to have returned to his old self for the time being and he placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder, “I’m proud to call you my Lord,” he turned and swooped out of his room, leaving Kai standing there for a bit, confused and flattered, but also sad. Luhan’s words meant a lot, but they had come with quite a price.

 

When he returned to his chambers he found Suho standing in the middle of the room looking completely unraveled. He approached the Seraphim slowly, with caution. With hands raised he said, “I was just about to contact you.”

“He killed all of them.” His voice was hollow as he glanced around the room with a similar expression. He looked so lost but also comforted.

“What?” Kai asked, feeling anxiety creep up his spine. Suho could not be speaking about his angel, could he?

“All of the guards of the Tower, he killed them all.” Suho face was pallid. Kai could see the toll everything was taking on him and he wanted to reach out and comfort the Seraphim, but he was not _his_ angel. He was Jongdae’s. But, Jongdae was not here, so he approached the Seraphim and knelt beside him.

“Slowly, tell me what happened,” Kai said with a measured voice.

“I really don’t know,” he shook his head. “We were just finishing up the preparation to remove your blocks and then the horns sounded. The Horns of God…” he trailed and sucked in a shuddering breath. “They haven’t sounded in Heaven for millennia.”

“Okay, then what happened, Suho you need to tell me,” Kai said. His exasperation was building. He needed to know just how much trouble Kyungsoo was in and whether or not he had just sent Luhan to his death.

Suho closed his eyes and wet his lips. He was so visibly shaken that Kai felt bad for him. “I rushed to the Tower and it was a bloodbath. Powers, Thrones, Archangels, all of them were dead. Some were disemboweled, other just badly slain, but a few were…a few were…unrecognizable.”

Kai felt dread drop into his stomach like a lead weight. Kyungsoo had indeed broken out and he left a trail carnage in his wake. He knew it was Leviathan controlling him because he could never see Kyungsoo harming his own kind or any demons for that matter, so this amplified his worry. How could he have gotten this bad? Wasn’t he supposed to be out of Leviathan’s reach in Heaven?

The dam broke and Kai could only see red. He hissed, “He was supposed to be safe up there, now no one knows where he is and Leviathan is only growing stronger. Suho just what the fuck is going on in Heaven? Can I even count on you for help?”

“We have to go to Lucifer now, Kai, Jongdae is our only hope at this point.” Suho said, standing. He was slowly returning to his usual self with each breath he took. “I honestly think he may just kill me, but I am willing to take that chance so that Jongdae is back.” He turned to Kai and grabbed him by the shoulders. “Promise me you will convince him to bring Jongdae back if he betrays us.”

Kai nodded and watched as Suho dropped his arms to his side and gaze around the room. He seemed to be searching for traces of his Demon Lord. The longer he looked, the more he swayed and a familiar expression took over his face. Kai jumped to catch him before he fell to his knees and stared at him wide-eyed. What was going on?

Suho whispered in a mixture of angelic and demonic, “It’s coming back to me, it’s all coming back to me.” His body tightened like he was seizing, but after a few moments it passed and he went limp in Kai’s arms.

Kai frowned, what was he talking about? What was causing all the angels to go so crazy?

“I destroyed that room, Kai. I was here.” Horror filled his face. “He still has his hold on me, Leviathan, I can’t escape it.” He looked up at Kai, tilting his head as tears spilled over his cheeks, pleading, “We need to go to Lucifer, he has to help us, Kai, he has to.”

Seeing him cry had chilled Kai to his core. Suho was supposed to be untouchable. He was a Seraphim. He was perfection. He was chosen to be amongst the angels who were so pure they could gaze on God’s face. How was this broken angel before him, the same person? Kai was starting to wonder if Suho was affected by Leviathan in more ways than Kyungsoo was. “Slow down, tell me what’s going on.”

“I’ve been having these blackouts, giving missions to angels and not remembering it. Waking up in places I was certain I had not laid my head down in. I thought I was done with Leviathan when Jongdae sacrificed himself, but he must not have followed through with the plan.” Suho shook his head, trying to right his thoughts, “He must have screwed up somehow…he was supposed to die on that field. I saw him go down, I felt the connection break, so why does he still have a hold on me?”

“Jongdae didn’t die then, I killed him, you know this, because you sent Kyungsoo down here to give me a message,” Kai said. He gingerly reached out and touched the angel’s cheek, his fingers came back glittering. “That battle was a long time ago Suho…”

Suho’s eyes widened, “How much time have I lost to Leviathan?” He let Kai help him to his feet and then steadied himself. When he opened his eyes, the serene mask he always wore settled over him, “Kai, I am here to release your blocks.”

Kai remained frozen, mind running a million miles a second. Suho was just on the verge of a breakdown and now he was acting like none of that had even happened? Something was off. Something was _very_ off. “We can do that later, let’s head to Lucifer’s first.”

Suho nodded and took to the air, leaving Kai to follow after him once he got his bearings. No one was safe now. Kyungsoo was gone, Suho was acting strange. Everything just felt so wrong. He sent out a thought to Luhan, hoping he would get it, and told him to start preparing the troops. He had a feeling that things were going to go astray.

 

~*~

After wandering around the winding limestone tunnels of Hell, Baekhyun decided to return to his quarters. He had a lot on his mind and flying usually helped him but today it did not. Not after seeing Luhan remove his blocks, and especially not after seeing the wrath within him almost take over. It was only when Baekhyun had suggested they go see Sehun’s tomb that Luhan gained control over his true form. But, before that it was an intense few moments where Baekhyun had to shield not only himself but the rest of Hell from Luhan’s mental lashings.

He landed in his room and paced for a bit trying to decide if he really wanted to take a visit to _father dearest_ or if he was going to put it off and try to help Kai figure things out. He decided on the latter and when he picked up his scrying mirror he caught Kai in the midst of a tryst and quickly shut off the connection. Of course. He flopped onto his stomach and flapped his wings stirring the air in his room. Maybe if he dozed for a bit he would figure out a more solid plan. His resting state was rather helpful for that.

A while later, Baekhyun rolled to his feet. In his resting state, he had been able to sort through his racing thoughts and settled on visiting Lucifer to not only get information from him, but to also try to stop him. For as long as he kept his blockades in tack while he visited him, he would not have to worry about any type of mind control, but there was a slight chance because Lucifer did create him after all.

Baekhyun stood outside a grand cathedral of gothic design. It was settled in the middle of a dense forest with a lone path leading to and from it. The building itself was made of out pale bricks that sparkled in the setting sun, hues of pink and purple dancing on the surface. Baekhyun chewed his lip as he walked up to the doors. Human architecture was always something he found fascinating, but the building just looked too gaudy for his taste. So, of course his father would live here. After all, he was the demon of pride.

He raised his hand to open the door when he heard two voices from above and saw Kai and a different angel descending. “Are you serious? A church?” The angel said as he landed and Kai looked at him curiously. He seemed suspicious of the angel.

Baekhyun stared at the pair and furrowed his brows. Why were they here? He was about to ask them, when Kai noticed him and called him over, “Oh, good, I need you to go back and talk to the troops while I handle business here. I tried to tell Luhan, but I don’t know if he was listening.”

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes. He was not an errand boy. Besides, he had his own reasons for being here and he was not about to put that aside just to do the Demon Lord’s bidding. He needed to either stop his father or at least get some clarity on what was going on. “That’s gonna have to wait, I need to speak with Father.”

Kai regarded him with a surprised expression and then his face returned to normal. “Very well, but we have important matters, so your family issues will have to come second.”

Baekhyun ignored that comment and instead asked, “Why are you here?” Not many people knew the location of Lucifer, but he knew Kai did because he was the new Demon Lord and that information was passed on to each one as they came into power.

“To speak to Lucifer about bringing Jongdae back,” the angel said. Alarm bells went off in his head but he could only scrutinize the angel as something tickled his mind. The angel looked unnaturally calm and it unnerved Baekhyun. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew he had seen the angel before and the longer he stared at him the clearer it became. “You’re one of them!”

The angel nodded and Baekhyun rushed over to him, staring deeply into his face for traces that he was being controlled. If he looked hard enough he could see the ghost of the real angel trapped behind the façade he was putting forth. Lucifer really was trying to build an army of natural born angels. He needed to get back and talk to Luhan about releasing his blocks because if Lucifer was doing what he was beginning to suspect, Hell needed to watch out on both fronts.

Baekhyun side eyed the angel and leaned in towards Kai, whispering, “Don’t trust Lucifer, he is up to something. I would tell you more, but I need to speak to Luhan.” He started to take off but Kai caught him by the arm.

“What are you talking about?” His eyes held countless questions but also suspicion.

Of all the times for him to be skeptical, now was the worst time. Baekhyun needed Kai to trust him so he could hurry back and talk to Luhan. He desperately needed him to be there when he removed his blocks. He needed someone to ground him, to remind him why he had locked away that form in exchange for his current one.

Baekhyun sighed, “I know I haven’t been civil with you lately, but trust me when I say don’t trust Lucifer. He’s behind all of this, the whole thing, so just be careful. I would stay, but I really need to get to Luhan.” With that, he took off, beating his leathery wings with all his might.

He hoped that Luhan was still there. Chanyeol flashed through his mind and a sickness rolled through his stomach. His father had used his feelings and manipulated him into falling for an angel. He wanted to curse Chanyeol, but it wasn’t his doing. No, he was just a pawn in his father’s plans and while it should have hurt him that he was being used, all he could do was worry. It was so unlike him, a demon to care for an angel so much, but Luhan had been right. He had fallen for him and now he was going to pay the price.

When he returned to Hell to see that demons were already moving out to the battlefield. He had missed all the preparations. That meant Luhan was gone and now he had no one to ground him when he released the blocks. All he could do was hope that he would be successful and that whatever Kai had planned would work.

He stared at his reflection in his scrying mirror and then punched through it. That was the first blockade. A ripple of intense power rolled through his body, tensing his muscles and electrifying him. Baekhyun closed his eyes as the orgasmic power rack his body, making his wings shiver and his knees weak. It was addicting, it was pure power washing over him and he was already feeling greedy for more.

~*~

It wasn’t long after Chanyeol's episode in his room that he was called to go to the battlefield. He witnessed the Seraphim scrambling to make preparation for something and instead of asking questions, he did what he was told. The battlefield was his second home anyway and after the way Baekhyun had made him feel, he really needed to let out some stress and get to the bottom of the swirling emotions in his chest.

He thought he was resolute in wanted to hurt Baekhyun on the field, but the longer he thought about him and the time they had spent together – albeit short – he did not think he could bring himself to actually hurt him now. Still, being called to arms meant that things were happening fast and he needed to clear his mind of all distractions.

As he flew to gather his charge of angels, he slowly calmed himself. He told himself that if he saw Baekhyun on the field, that they would talk, they would figure out what was going on between them and then put an end to it because there was no way Chanyeol could be so hung up on a demon. It was forbidden and he had a job to do. Spotting his troop below, he descended and as he did so, he pulled on the mask of a true warrior.

Chanyeol stared at the angels in his platoon. He knew only a few of them as so many of them were new, but that did not matter. What was important was that these angels knew what they were getting into. He steadied himself and began his speech, “I know that this battle goes against everything you’ve been taught…working with demons, but for now I need you all to put aside your prejudices and be as agreeable as you can.” He paused, “For this battle and this battle alone, we are _allies_ , and I expect you all to act as such. Demons are despicable beings and they will stop at nothing to harm you, but this battle, they are our brothers and sisters. We will fight to protect them and they will do the same.”

Glancing down and his sword, he watched the blue flames lick the metal and he raised it in the air. “We fight for our safety, for our freedom from this menace that has taken hold of so many of our fellow soldiers. This _Leviathan_ has slain so many of us before and we cannot allow that to happen again. We must protect not only ourselves but the humans as well for they are so defenseless in this spiritual battle that is raging on. Be mindful, be swift, and most of all, have no mercy.”

The angels in his platoon all cheered, raising their swords and shouting. Chanyeol smiled at them, feeling the wind whip his shoulder length hair around. He knew he should tie it up, but he was in battlefield mode, and that required him to feel his very best. He looked around at the location he had been placed and sighed at the debris. The poor humans had lost so much in the chaos Leviathan brought.

In the distance, he saw groups of demons rising out of the ground and had to stifle the shudder he felt. He ached to fight them, to feel that familiar way his sword sliced through their flesh, but for now, they worked together. He nodded at a demon that looked somewhat familiar and then returned his attention to his soldiers. “Let’s march!”

The angels took to the sky and flew towards where the demons were gathering. Chanyeol remained airborne squinting at the setting sun. He saw the water at the city’s edge begin to shimmer and turned to his troops. “Prepare!”

Just then, a voice echoed through the air. It was unfamiliar, but every being seemed to have heard it because they all glanced around as it spoke.

_Humans of Earth, I am here to inform you that the bumps in the night are real. The guardian angels you so love, are real. Heaven and Hell exist and I, I have risen. Fall to your knees at my glory, lest you be food for my darling pet, Leviathan._

An unknown angel, Chanyeol could only tell it was an angel because of the wings, fell to the water with an impossible splash that grew into a tsunami. A dark shadow loomed in the wave, and only when the smell of sulfur and dead sea life hit their noses, did everyone know that it was Leviathan.

Chanyeol started to fly towards the creature, but a sweet voice whispered in his mind and he felt an eerie calm wash over him. Instead of fighting Leviathan, he turned on his own, a menacing smile on his face as the first splatters of golden blood landed on his skin.

 

~*~

“You pose as a catholic priest?” Suho said, pulling another look from Kai. The angel was still acting as if what had happened in Hell had not taken place and the longer he pretended that it didn’t the more unnerved Kai felt.

Lucifer, a man who fit his name quite well, smoothed back his blonde hair and smiled dazzlingly. “Yes, I know more about this religion than any other priest, why should I not teach it to humans?”

Suho frowned at him and the guise seemed to slip as his eyes filled with panic for a nanosecond. He and Kai shared a look and when he turned back to Lucifer, the panic was gone. “Let’s get to business, you know why we’re here right?”

Lucifer clasped his hands together and let out a tinkling laugh. “Of course, you wish to stop Leviathan.”

Kai frowned imperceptibly and kept his gaze focused on the man in front of him. Everything felt off. He felt like he was moving through a thick soup of glamour, but there was no way Lucifer could possibly fool both him and an angel at the same time. Kai nodded his head, “Yes, we wish for you to transform the conduit into a demon so that the connection may be broken.” The only problem was that Luhan had not found Kyungsoo so Kai had no idea where he was or what to do.

Beside him, Suho spoke, “Seeing as the angel is missing however, we are requesting in exchange for Jongdae to be returned to the living.”

Lucifer sat down on the steps leading up to the podium and crossed his legs. A sinister smile split his face in two. “The angel is here,” he said, gesturing to his right and from the darkness, Kyungsoo walked out.

Kai’s breath caught in his throat. If he thought Kyungsoo was spectacular to behold in Hell, he was even more amazing to look at now. His whole being shimmered, dousing him in an aura of pure innocence as he approached them barefoot. He was in a gossamer garb that tied around his neck in a high collar and flowed around him with each step. He was ethereal, he was angelic. “My angel,” was all he could whisper and he felt both Kyungsoo's eyes and Lucifer’s land on his face.

Kyungsoo smiled and came to a stop at Lucifer’s side. “He told me he could put an end to all of this, Kai. We can be together after this.”

Kai wanted to believe him, he really did, but the way Lucifer looked at him made him have his doubts. “How does this process work?”

Lucifer grinned even larger, “I take him down to water and we give him a sort of baptism that will wash him of all his angelic blood and instead replace it with demonic spirit. He will then be closed off to Leviathan forever and the rest of Heaven and Hell can battle him to the death.”

It seemed too good to be true, but when he shot Suho a look, he saw the angel nodding his head and he assumed it was true. “Okay,” he sighed, “let’s do this.”

Lucifer held up one finger, “What do I get in return?”

Suho cocked his head to the side, his face unreadable and Kai felt a spike of fear in his chest. Suho spoke, “What do you want?”

“I want back in Heaven,” Lucifer stated.

“No, absolutely not,” Suho said.

Lucifer smiled and Kai watched as Suho straightened his back and his body become compliant. “I will give you your demon back and transform this angel.”

Suho nodded slowly, as if in a trance and Kai reached out to touch him but the angel simply glared at him before turning back to Lucifer. He held out his hand, “Deal.”

Kai ignored the voice in his head that said this was a bad idea and also held out his hand. He would do anything to make all this stop, even if it meant working with the devil himself. Plus, if Suho was willing to make the deal, strange behavior or not, Kai was inclined to follow his lead.

Lucifer smiled again and sighed, “Great! I will take him to the water while you get your armies ready.” He put an arm around Kyungsoo and then looked over his shoulder, “ _You’re gonna need them._ ”

Pure unadulterated fear ran down Kai’s spine like a cube of ice. He watched as Lucifer disappeared with Kyungsoo behind the doors and turned to Suho. “We made the right choice, right?”

Suho blinked at him, “Where are we?”

Kai grabbed him by the shoulders and gave him a heft shake. “What is the last thing you remember?”

“I remember telling you that I was having blackouts…I had another one, didn’t I?” He looked at Kai in pure terror. His pupils were fully dilated and he stared at Kai as if he held all the answers.

Kai nodded. They were in trouble. He needed to explain everything that happened to Suho before he lost this moment of clarity. He quickly rehashed what happened and with every word the angel grew more and more grim. At the end of his recount, Suho was pinching the bridge of his nose.

He looked up at Kai with bloodshot eyes, “We just lost everything.”

In the distance Kai heard a loud distorted voice begin speaking, _Humans of Earth…_ he didn’t hear the rest, because he knew what had happened. Lucifer had betrayed them. “Kyungsoo!” he shouted and leapt into the sky, his wings beating furiously. He needed to get to him, but it was already too late. Leviathan had risen and all of Heaven and Hell were done for.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there loves! This chapter concludes chapter 9! Only two/three more updates for this fic, and the last ones are heavy. This whole chapter was influenced by a song called "Wildest Wind" by IAMX which I linked above. I really hope you all like this chapter, it was both fun and enlightening to write (since I strayed from my original plan). I'm still working on fest fics, I've completed two one is 46k and the other is a smaller oneshot, and I can't wait until I can post it here and AFF for you all to enjoy! Updates will be slow because school has started for me (last year of uni!) but I do promise to keep updating throughout the semester~ I hope you all have wonderful mornings, days, night, etc!
> 
> P.S. Guys, the title is very meaningful, the definition is: a change in one's way of life resulting from penitence or spiritual conversion.  ;)
> 
> Until next time lovelies<3


	12. World on Fire (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WC: 7466

Power. Waves of it coursed through Baekhyun’s body, shaking him to the ground. He braced himself on all fours, feeling his face morph as horns pierced his skin. The pain was excruciating, but the power, oh the power was electrifying.

Curving his back, Baekhyun panted as the last waves of the second block racked him. He only had one more to remove and already he was beginning to feel his true nature come out. Every breath he took filled him with a surge of greed. He wanted more. He _needed_ more.

His wings shuddered and as Baekhyun rose to his feet, he knew this was the most dangerous part. Without someone to ground him, he could end up lost forever. Gasping, he reached deep within his mind to the little lockbox that held the location of the last block. There. The lid popped open and the contents of knowledge spilled forth, animating Baekhyun’s body, pulling him from his quarters and into the air.

He flew, instincts taking over as he relished the feel of each powerful beat of his wings. His body was overwhelmed with sensation. Sights, smells, feeling, all of it was heightened a thousand-fold and Baekhyun wondered why he kept himself under wraps for so long. This was wonderful, it was dangerously blissful but he still wanted more.

Landing in Kai’s room, Baekhyun turned towards the wall and punched through it. In his hand, he pulled out a single black dagger -- the one he had given Kai when he had him kill Jongdae. Ironic that it had been the dagger of greed that had stolen the life from the previous demon lord, and yet it was so fitting.

Baekhyun turned over the glittering instrument in his hands, admiring the workmanship. It had been given to him by his father after his creation and he had kept it all these millennia. It had been his weapon of choice during the first war between Heaven and Hell and he had slain many an angel with it. He couldn’t be satisfied until he had killed the most of his brothers. He was Greed after all.

Tapping the flat of the blade on his palm, Baekhyun looked around the room wondering why he had Kai do his dirty work and then take the throne. He could have run Hell much better than him and he was a pure demon, meaning that everyone would have to obey him. Why, after all these years, did he allow for others to snatch the throne from under him?

A smattering of down littered the limestone floor and Baekhyun sneered. Angels had to sully everything. If he survived this war he was going to take Heaven for himself and teach those angels a thing or two.

Still looking around the room, Baekhyun saw the crown resting on the ground and lifted it in his hands. All of this could be his if he just took Kai down. It would be easy too after all the Demon Lord was so preoccupied with his angel. It would be easy pickings, just surprise him on the battlefield and then, voila, Baekhyun was the new ruler of Hell. It was too simple really.

A wry smile on his lips, Baekhyun exited Kai’s room and headed back to his own to release the final block. All he needed to do was cut himself with the blade and once his blood filled the rivets he would be free of the weaker form once and for all.

Landing gracefully, Baekhyun slid the blade across his palm, slicing his flesh with a stinging sensation. He watched with hungry eyes as the stream of his life force ran down the blade, filling the divots. A delicious shudder started at the crown of his head and descended, firing every nerve, every synapse as power flooded his system like never before. It was raw, it was concentrated, it was pure feeling that filled him to the brim and spilled over.

Baekhyun rolled his neck and shook his wings, eyelids fluttering as he inhaled. He was back and he never felt better. Catching a glimpse of himself in the reflection of the shattered mirror, he grinned wickedly. Now that he had all his power, he wanted more. He let the blade clatter to the ground and picked up the black one he had before. He was going to get everything he wanted.

 

~*~

 

The water was icy when Kai pierced the surface, using his wings to propel him forward towards the figure quickly sinking to the bottom. It was hard work as his wings were made for travel through air and not water, but in his hysteria, he did not think to retract them and instead pumped harder trying to reach his one and only love.

Fingertips brushed his and Kai snatched them up, eyes blurring from the salt in the water. He kept trying to get a good look at the figure’s face, but his eyes stung so bad and he was running out of air. When he burst through the surface, he heaved, sucking in precious gulps. He pulled the body behind him, making sure to keep their head above water while he half swam half propelled himself with his wings. He was way too waterlogged to take flight and from the state of the angel’s wings, they were too.

They reached the pier and Kai heaved the angel onto the wooden planks. His heart was pounding in his chest and his hair stuck to his skin with streams of water pouring down his face. He leaned down, cradling the angel in his arms and pressing a kiss to his temple.

“I am so sorry, my angel, so very sorry,” Kai whispered, rubbing his face against his hair.

“It took you long enough to get to me,” said the angel and Kai dropped the body to the wood. It wasn’t Kyungsoo.

Scrambling to his feet he watched as Lucifer ran his fingers through his hair changing it from black to blond. Then he slid his hand over his face and transformed before Kai’s eyes. A perfect sneer marred his otherwise perfect features.

“How?”

Lucifer rolled his eyes, “Demon of Pride, duh.”

He shook out his downy wings which were strikingly golden with perfectly formed feathers that gleamed. They were massive, spreading far larger than any other angel’s wings ever did before. Sunlight bounced off of them, making them magnificent to behold, so awe-inspiring, so terribly splendorific.

But none of that mattered to Kai. He just wanted his angel. He needed his angel. He needed to see him to make sure he was okay and that they had not lost everything to this godforsaken war. He wanted to hold him, to caress him to tell him that if they both should perish that at least they had these final moments together.

“Where is he?” Kai growled.

“Who? The demon or the angel?” Lucifer asked, looking mildly annoyed that he was utterly drenched. He flicked water off his hands and sighed.

“My angel. _Where is he?_ ” Kai repeated, feeling rage making his body vibrate.

“Oh, he’s back at the altar. Should be waking up any time now. Although I would avoid him I were you, he is not the same angel that you knew.” Lucifer pulled a strand of seaweed from his hair and frowned.

“What do you mean?” Kai asked, starting to circle Lucifer.

Lucifer chuckled, “Oh you’ll see for yourself –” he was cut off mid-sentence as a blur of red hair and white wings tackled him to the ground.

On top of Lucifer, sat Suho, fists swinging and rage and pain on his face. “You sorry piece of shit! I knew you would betray us!” Every word was punctuated with punches and scratches. His voice cracked as he screamed, falling into a frenzy as Lucifer lay there eating blow after blow without fighting back. “You fucked us! You did this!”

Kai stood, rooted to his spot as the scene unfolded. He wanted to pull Suho off of Lucifer, but he was afraid that if he touched him, then his anger would turn on him. He had never seen him so angry, so full of unconstrained rage. Veins throbbed on his temples, threatening to burst as Suho pummeled Lucifer into the dock.

“I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!” Suho screamed, fists making contact between each word. He was reducing Lucifer’s face unrecognizable with each strike.

Kai could not look away. He watched Suho beat Lucifer past the point that any normal being could handle and only when Suho’s swings slowed and his chest heave did he move to pull him off. He reached his hand out to touch the Seraphim’s shoulder but stopped.

“This will only hold him down for so long. Quick! Return to Kyungsoo before Lucifer comes to,” Suho said, pushing himself to his feet and wiping off golden blood from his knuckles.

Kai spread his wings and then looked back at Suho who was standing at the edge of the dock, red hair whipping around his face as the winds picked up. “What will you do?”

“I’ll take down Leviathan,” he said. Then taking his thumb and pressing it to his arm, he dragged it down, spilling golden and sparkling blood down his wrist. As it dripped it began to form a beautiful sword that glistened and shined.

Kai watched in awe as the sword grew, morphing and settling into its final shape before he said, “Why make swords if you can do that?”

Suho grimaced. “Because we can only do this in dire times. This is a true Heaven's Fire sword. Born from the blood of natural born angels. Nothing can destroy them for as long as their owner is alive.” He turned back towards Leviathan. “It’s time to settle some old debts, Leviathan.”

Kai squinted his eyes as Suho took off, wings blasting wind into his face. He had never seen him so determined in his life. Still, he had his own mission to complete. With one final glance as Lucifer’s slowly repairing face, Kai took to the air, wings beating as hard as they could.

_I’m coming for you, my angel._

 

~*~

 

Suho swung his sword, catching Lucifer on the shoulder before he darted back. He was making slow work of him, cutting him here and there, but it was all he could do at the moment. Leviathan was inside his mind, taunting him with images of Jongdae, pulling them forward and superimposing them over Lucifer. It had startled him at first when he arced his golden Heavensfire blade at Lucifer only to see his face morph into Jongdae. He hesitated, taking a swipe at his gut and barely making it out of the way in time.

“Leviathan!” Suho screamed and flew towards the murky beast. He was almost to him but Lucifer popped up in front of him with a menacing grin.

“Ah-ah! I’m your opponent. You _will_ respect that,” Lucifer hissed. He twirled his sword and struck out at Suho.

The angel shook his head as he flew backward, avoiding the strike. Leviathan was messing with his head so this was hardly a fair fight. But, Suho knew how to handle this. He closed his eyes, centering himself in the few moments he had and when he opened them, he could feel Leviathan slink further to the recesses of his mind. He just needed to keep him there so he could focus.

“Are you ready, angel?” Lucifer asked, smiling blindingly.

Suho growled deep in his chest, determined to take out Lucifer for betraying them and flew toward him with all his speed. He felt the sword hit flesh and ripped it sideways, blood spurting out and making his blue fire burn brighter. He could feel more of his blood being pulled from his palm to repair the holes from Lucifer’s blood, but that didn’t matter. Suho was going to finish this before his Heavensfire sword killed him.

“You’re a much better fighter now. Your lessons with Jongdae really paid off didn’t they?” Lucifer taunted.

At the mention of his name, images of Jongdae pushed through his mind with a loud ringing sound that almost made him clamp his hands over his ears. Sticky blood poured from his ears as his drums burst and Suho roared and charged Lucifer again. He met resistance and saw more blood spill from Lucifer who looked completely unbothered and smiling. He wasn’t even trying to parry Suho’s blows, just dodging him with a wicked grin. Suho tried to force Leviathan from his mind again but his sweet voice whispered.

‘ _Give up the fight, my angel._ ’

Suho shook his head and dove again, this time clipping one of Lucifer’s ears off and reeled back out of his reach to catch his breath. This was taking too much out of him. Constantly fighting off Leviathan in his mind and battling Lucifer in the flesh was draining him.

Lucifer screamed in pain at the loss of his ear and his eyes flashed bright white light. He flew higher, a blade manifesting in his hand much in the same way Suho called his own. His blade was black and twisted and the fire that licked the edges hissed and sputtered like a poison ichor.

“You dare to strike at my face?” Lucifer screamed and drove his sword towards Suho.

The angel dodged it, feeling the presence of Leviathan leave his mind. When he looked over he could see the hulking figures of the Forsaken battling the beast. Their enormous skeletal wings still supporting them as though they still had flesh. Their faces were bloodied and all the skin had melted off, exposing bone beneath it. Their sockets were empty and the screams they made sounded almost like sirens.

Suho felt his stomach drop a bit, not realizing that Kai had released them. The Forsaken were going to kill anything in their way, angel, demon, or Leviathan. For now, they were busy with the beast and Suho only hoped it would keep them busy.

The flash of a black blade nearly grazed Suho’s face and he dodged out of the way in the last moment. He whirled on Lucifer, sword raised and slashed him across the chest. For the first time since they started battling, he felt like he had the upper hand.

“Why are you doing this?” Suho asked as he blocked another swing of Lucifer’s blade.

“Because I want to rule Heaven. It was rightly mine and _He_  cast me out. _He_ took it from me,” Lucifer hissed. He spun as he slashed at Suho again.

Suho avoided it and dropped a few feet in the air to put distance between them. “Angels were never meant to rule Heaven, Lucifer, you know this,” Suho said as he raised his sword over his head, flying up at Lucifer.

“We are perfect, why couldn’t we rule Heaven. We could’ve ruled Earth too! Enslave the hairless monkeys and make them do  _our_ bidding,” Lucifer spat. He didn’t dodge in time and Suho sliced through his robes.

“That’s not God’s plan, Lucifer. If you ever listened you would’ve known it was never his plan to have us rule. We serve Him and His wishes.” Suho parried a blow from Lucifer with one hand.

“God is wrong! If He listened to _me_ , he would’ve foreseen this!” Lucifer shouted. He was very clearly angry at this point and lashing out at Suho with every word.

Suho felt himself being moved backward in the air and beat his wings harder. “Your  _pride_ always bests you Lucifer. You just can’t escape it. But I’ll humor you, tell me, what is your plan, should you win?”

“ _Should I win?_ ” Lucifer cackled, this time coming at Suho with his fist instead of his blade. His sword-bearing arm was covered in scratches and blood. “ _When_ I win, I plan to raise an army of the natural born and take over Heaven. I’m going to _kill God once and for all_.”

Suho almost froze when he heard those words. He narrowly avoided being hit by the tip of Lucifer’s blade and lost his balance in the air for a few feet. _Kill God?_ That was impossible. Sure, he was quiet lately, but he wasn’t dead. There was no way – unless…

“Lucifer you wouldn’t! There is no way you can control all the Leviathan and an army. Not even you could do that!” Suho said, eyes wide.

Lucifer laughed. “Ah, but that is why I am forcing my children to release their blocks. At their full power, they could easily best any Leviathan. And having their angelic consorts under my thumb would keep them in check. You see, demons and angels are intertwined. We _need_ each other.”

Suho shook his head, fear piercing every inch of him. Lucifer could not bring about the apocalypse. If he did then everything as they knew it would be gone. No Earth, no Hell, and no Heaven. There would be nothing to separate the three. It would be chaos.

Lucifer broke through Suho’s mind with a painful slash across his chest. Suho dropped a few more feet and renewed his grip on the sword. He couldn’t let Lucifer win. If he did, everything would be ruined. Everything.

Suho didn’t know how long they had been fighting, but when their blades met, they hissed and created huge plumes of blackened smoke that obscured Suho’s vision for a moment. He turned away to scan the area behind him but saw something that almost made him drop everything.

Flying towards him was the only other being that he had ever loved. Jongdae.

 

~*~

 

Darkness thick and heavy clung to his skin, his eyes, his very being. He was floating in the abyss, thoughts sluggish as he slowly came to consciousness. He had been here so long, floating and silent, just like the others.

Opening his eyes was futile because he knew he would not see anything, only blackness as he had for however long it had been since he was sent here. It was suffocating, mind-numbing, and incredibly empty all at the same time.

However, something told him to lift his lids just this once and when he did, he saw the faintest of pinpricks of light. He aimed his body towards it and felt himself floating. The light grew brighter and brighter until it was all-encompassing and hurt his retinas. Then it was white. Pure white.

Jongdae opened his eyes and blinked violently a few times. How could this be? The center of his vision returned first, the edges still blurred as he glanced around. He was in the human realm lying on a slab of stone.

To his side, he saw an angel resting atop a similar slab and for a fleeting moment, he thought the angel was his. _Suho_. The name made his heart quicken and he swung unsteady legs over the edge of the stone. The corner dug into his bare thighs and he slid to his feet, feeling stronger with every second that went by.

There had to be a reason for his return. Demons didn’t just come back to the realm of the living without being summoned. He peered back at the angel one more time and a searing pain started in the center of his forehead. He palmed his head as his eyes smarted and stepped closer.

The angel was still resting, eyes shut and face relaxed. He smelled vaguely of something so familiar. Jongdae inhaled deeply, trying to pinpoint what it was when he heard it. The Horns of Heaven were blaring.

Glancing around, Jongin looked for anything he could use as a weapon. His eyes landed on a short black dagger and he ran to pick it up. The second his fingers brushed the hilt, images slammed into him. Visions of Kai and...Suho flew past his mind’s eye. He stumbled, dropping the blade to the ground and hissing.

What had he woken up into? He swallowed thickly and bent to pick up the blade again, this time prepared for the onslaught. His body went rigid as information poured into him, and when he finally dropped the blade for the second time, Jongdae knew what he had to do. He sighed as he walked over to the angel and lightly touched his face.

“I am so sorry to have brought you into this, dear angel,” he said his throat tightening. “I'll be sure to end this once and for all so that no more of our kind may become trapped like this.”

With that in mind, Jongdae phased through the ground towards Hell to gather his supplies.

Hell was empty. Not a single being walked the narrow and craggy streets of Hell. It was eerily silent as he flew towards his old quarters. Only the beat of his wings caused sound. When Jongdae landed just outside the door he heard a voice in the room.

Peering around the corner he saw Baekhyun holding a similar blade to his hand and dragging it across. A spike of fear struck his stomach as he pressed himself flat into the rock so as to not bee seen.

If Baekhyun was releasing his blocks then the situation was as dire as it had ever been. He hovered by the entrance for as long as it took for Baekhyun to finish and then walked in. Interrupting a block-release was dangerous.

“I see you’ve returned, Greed,” Jongdae said. His eyes scanned the room, taking note of the scattered feathers on the stone floor and the state of the bed. Things were much worse than he had feared.

Baekhyun grinned at him, eyes completely blackened and alien. “Feels amazing, all this power.”

“I’m well aware,” Jongdae said.

“Why don’t you let me help you release yours, my liege?” Baekhyun said as he watched Jongdae root around his room for his weapon.

“I’ll be fine,” Jongdae replied as he pulled out his demonic scimitar.

It was deep red in color, darker at the center of the blade and almost white towards the edges. It looked as if it was absorbing blood into the blade. Jongdae turned it over in his hands and felt the weight of the situation press down on him. The end of the world was neigh.

“I’ll be off, then,” Baekhyun said and with a few beats of his powerful wings, he was gone.

Jongdae stared at the blade, wishing he didn’t have to do what needed to be done. He held it to his hand and gave it a clean swipe, breaking down all the blockades that kept him pulled together. As his blood touched the blade the explosion of power knocked him off his feet.

He writhed on the ground, groaning and panting until it subsided. As he sat up a thirst started in his being. One so strong and so overbearing that the only thing that would take care of it was overindulgence. Jongdae was Gluttony.

Taking off, Jongdae swallowed around the lump in his throat. He so badly needed satiation. If he didn’t make his first kill and consume their blood, he would become uncontrollable. As he ascended from Hell, he slaughtered the first being he saw and let their lifeforce rain down into his mouth. It helped only minutely.

His wings trembled behind him, aching to for flight, for the indulgence of movement. Any and everything that could be pushed beyond the limits was fair game for Jongdae. He dropped the demon he had slain, black blood running down his chest and headed towards the creature in the sea. Surely killing that beast would satisfy him.

As Jongdae approached the beast his eyes caught the striking fire of red hair and froze. Every muscle in his body halted, as he gaped at the fierce creature battling God's Golden Son. He darted away from Lucifer, slicing him here and there with his shimmering sword and the First Demon howled in pain, clamping his hand over the fresh wounds.

Jongdae wanted to intervene, to call out to Suho to let him know he was there, but he was doing just fine on his own. He turned back to Leviathan, the unquenchable hunger within him growing and dove at the creature, spinning as he tumbled through the air, scimitar ready to bore holes into the swampy hide.

It was then that he heard a cry and craned his neck to see Lucifer best Suho with a strike, causing sparkling golden blood to cascade from his body. Jongdae watched him grit his teeth and swing his sword in an arch, just barely grazing Lucifer. He was hurt, but he wasn't stopping. This wasn't the Suho Jongdae knew. The Suho he knew took care of himself and fought with finesse, not like this.

He pulled out of his swan dive at the last moment and headed towards his angel, feeling the pull, the tether between them grow stronger. "My Angel!" He called out, but it was the wrong thing to do.

When Suho's eyes met Jongdae's, everything ceased to exist. The air between them popped and static built to the point where tiny sparks ignited. It was no doubt their connection was real because as Lucifer attempted to strike Suho once more, the angel blocked him with little to no effort.

Another blow and Suho knocked it to the side with one arm, eyes never leaving Jongdae's and his mouth parting just slightly.

"You're h-here?"

He sounded as though he was right in front of Jongdae and not meters away battling a furious Lucifer like a cat would swat at an insect. Nothing could break this moment, nothing except for that tiny whisper that leaked through the bond. That tiny whisper that told Suho to strike Jongdae and Jongdae to stay still.

As it was, Jongdae could not move except to beat his wings. He tried to speak, tried to scream, but Suho was approaching him fast now, with the same terrified expression. He stopped just in front of Jongdae, golden sword poised at his gut and tears streaming down his face,

"Please forgive me," he whispered and turned the sword towards himself.

"Suho don't!" Jongdae screamed panic rising in his chest.

The blockade he had released had been snapped back in place by Lucifer. He no longer felt the incredible drive to indulge. No, instead he just felt unbearable pain as he watched Suho hold the blade to his stomach, point trembling as he sobbed.

"I don't want to do this," Suho wept.

"Then don't! You're stronger than this, you can break free, please my angel. Please survive for me!" Jongdae screamed. His body was still being held still by an unseen force.

"I- I can't!" Suho yelled and the blade pressed against his soaked tunic.

"Father!" A voice called out and Jongdae's eyes flicked over to the source.

Approaching them quickly was Luhan. He was in his unleashed form, blackened and raging flames licking his skin. He swooped in, jagged sword dripping with a mix of demon and angel blood.

"Father! This ends now!"

 

~*~

 

Unconstrained wrath wrapped itself around Luhan in flames. He couldn't feel them, but he knew they were there. Just like he knew his skin was slicked with oil and horns protruded from his head. His teeth were sharpened to tiny razor-sharp points and his heart was filled with rage.

All he needed now was the Blade of Wrath and he would be ready to go. It had been so long since he'd taken this form. So long since he needed to take this form. So long since he had been so angry to be able to take this form.

Luhan picked up the jagged sword and gripped the hilt tightly in his hand. They were going to pay for what they did to Sehun and the first person he was going to kill was Lucifer. His father.

Tearing his way through angels and demons alike, Luhan slaughtered all who got in his way. Each drive of his blade, each swing of his arm, every drop of blood, angelic and demon, only engorged his fire. His flames burned brighter, hotter, and with them, they burned away Luhan bit by bit.

He sliced and stabbed, spinning and jabbing. All of it was a blur to him as all-consuming rage filled him. He needed to find who was at fault. _Sehun_. He needed to make them suffer for taking his love from him. _Sehun_. He needed to end their lives just like they ended his.

The sound of lightning popping drew his attention and Luhan finally spotted the one responsible: Lucifer. He flew towards him with the power of his wrath pushing his faster than ever before. He was burning even more now as his rage took over his every last sense.

Anger. It was all he felt. No, that wasn't correct. Anguish. Anguish was what coursed through his veins. There. There right in front of him was the one he needed to kill. Lucifer. Lucifer had to pay for this.

"Father!" Luhan shouted, but his voice felt a million miles away. He was almost there. He was so close, just a little bit more.

"Father! This ends now!" He screamed but again it felt foreign. His voice sounded disembodied.

Lucifer was just within his reach. Luhan screamed again, this time nothing but a warbled noise came out as he swung his sword. It connected with flesh and he ripped upwards, leaving a gaping, bloody wound in Lucifer's wing. Good.

Luhan screamed again, this time driving his sword down into Lucifer's shoulder before he had time to react. Another impact with flesh and Luhan could no longer see anything but the flames in front of his eyes. He was being consumed. He was reverting completely to his original form once and for all.

 _Sehun_. The name stirred something within Luhan but he wasn't sure what. He slashed again, this time cleaving off Lucifer's arm and enjoying the bloodcurdling screeches coming from him. He was suffering just the way he had made him suffer. He was making his father pay for the damage he had done to him.

 _Sehun._ Who was that? Luhan twirled his blade and swung it again. It got stuck in the fleshy bit of Lucifer's neck. He braced against him and pulled out his sword with a schlucking sound. It came free after a bit of effort and he raised it again but stopped short as a different voice came through his head.

_Luhan, come back to me._

Luhan slashed Lucifer one final time, sending him crashing into the water below and then let the blade hang loose in his hand. _Luhan, please, come back to me._ The voice was pleading with him, but Wrath did not know who Luhan was. Was he Luhan? No, he was Wrath.

His grip tightened on the hilt and then spun around, flames raging harder than ever. He was blind, but that didn't matter. This world didn't matter. The only thing that had ever mattered to him was gone and now all he had left was his anger. All he needed was his anger.

The world was on fire, just the way he liked it. Everywhere he turned was burning flames. It ate away at his skin, melting him away until he became nothing but the flames. He had become one with his true form. Wrath was born.

 

~*~

 

Returning to Hell, Kai frantically gathered whatever armor he could find. He yanked on obsidian gauntlets, hung a black scabbard around his waist, cinching his billowing deep purple robes at his hips. He used his telekinesis to toss things around the room while he looked for a blade. He knew he was going to need something for the battle.

Kai’s eyes caught the glimmer of a dark hilt on the ground and he picked it up. The blade was a deep red in the center of the blade and nearly white at the edges. It felt powerful in his hand. Waves of intoxicating power coursed from Kai’s palm and through his veins. Kai swallowed, blinking his eyes as he was almost drawn deep into the blade’s sweet siren call. This would have to do. He quickly sheathed it and with two thrusts of his wings took off back to the battleground.

Kai had never flown so fast in his entire existence. He could hear the battle behind him and for a brief moment, he saw Luhan swoop down and become engulfed by flames. It sent a shiver down his spine. He had not seen Luhan take on that form before. From his current distance, he could feel the waves of pure wrath pulsing through the air. Kai wasn’t sure if once everything was all said and done if Luhan would ever return. That was if they made it out at all.

With a beat of his wings, Kai turned back towards the church, with fear in his heart. All he was hoping for was that somehow Kyungsoo was okay. His chest felt like it was going to explode the more he flew, scanning the ground below for any signs at all. He was so focused on the earth that he almost missed the flash of movement in his peripheral.

Kyungsoo flew towards him with impossible speed. His usual feathered angel wings were quickly shedding feathers in large tufts. The white, high-collared, gossamer garb that Kyungsoo was wearing was fluttering around him in magnificent glory as he dove towards Kai, sword drawn. It was shining with a fierce blue fire that singed Kai’s eyelashes just as it missed him.

“Kyungsoo?” Kai said, freezing in shock and confusion. “Kyungsoo what are you doing?” Kai shouted as he dodged another strike of the sword.

“My Godly Duty,” Kyungsoo said. His face was devoid of all emotion. His eyes were shining with impossible bright white light and his voice was almost choral. He swung the sword again, this time grazing Kai’s cheek which sent waves of pain through his body.

“Kyungsoo snap out of it!” Kai screamed hand pressed to his cheek to stave the bleeding. His usual quick healing was not working at all. Dark blood coated his fingers, making them slick. He let gravity take him as he dodged another swipe of Kyungsoo’s sword. His other hand was braced over his face, trying to shield himself from the flurry of Kyungsoo’s blows.

The sword caught on the obsidian gauntlet on Kai’s wrist. There was a blast of power between them and Kai went tumbling down to the ground for a dozen feet before he caught himself with a  heft of his wings. Above him, Kyungsoo hovered, wings languidly beating as more and more feathers sloughed off in chunks. This was not Godly powers – no, it was something so evil that it had consumed Kyungsoo completely.

“My angel!” Kai screamed, flying back up towards him. His hand hovered over the hilt of the blade at his hip, but he didn’t pull it out yet. He was hoping that he could call upon the last shred of Kyungsoo and bring him back.

“I am no one’s angel. I only serve his Highness,” Kyungsoo said in a hollow voice. “He is to lead us to our salvation.”

“Salvation?” Kai questioned. He remained a safe distance away from Kyungsoo, still poised to draw the blade when he needed to. He chest rose and fell, sweat beading at his temples as he watched Kyungsoo’s every move. How could his angel turn on him? How could he do this? After all they had gone through to be together, Kai just didn’t know what to do.

“Yes, don’t you see? Angels have been held down for far too long. We were created first, we should be the Almighty’s first priority. We are  _perfect_ ,” Kyungsoo said. The Divine light that had been emanating from his sockets was brighter now and the choral voices behind his were louder.

Kai’s breaths quickened even more. He chanced a glance behind him and saw Leviathan slowly waving around it’s appendages at the angels fighting it. One thing caught Kai’s attention for half a second more than he had wanted. There was another bright shining angel mowing down demons and angels alike. Something was terribly array.

“Kyungsoo listen to yourself! This isn’t you! This isn’t how angels are supposed to think!” Kai shouted. “They’re supposed to be pure, they’re supposed to have undying love. Kyungsoo this isn’t you!” He was grasping at straws hoping that maybe reason and logic would reach Kyungsoo, but it fell on deaf ears.

The angel dove towards him again, heavensfire sword blazing in a beautiful blue arc as he swung it down. Kai had but a moment to react, but he whipped out the blade, feeling the surge of power fill him and parried the blow.

“Argh!” Kai roared and sent Kyungsoo scrambling backward through the air. He could feel the sweet voice of the blade calling to him, asking him to use it more, to draw blood. He could feel the bloodlust begin to take over. He could feel the whisper caress his skin, seep into his mind, but he shook it off.

“All those who oppose the Angel of Light must perish!” Kyungsoo screamed and this time he flew towards Kai much faster than before. The blue flames of the heavensfire sword were brighter, almost blinding as the angel approached. He let out an anguished warcry and with both hands thrust the sword towards Kai.

Blade in hand, Kai deflected the blow. The longer he held the blade the more it called to him, the more it clouded his mind. With a flourished spin, Kai found himself pressed chest to winged-back, blade angled at the angel’s neck. A single golden bead of blood rolled down the blade. This time it didn’t swirl with blackness. It was as pure as gold as the sun’s rays.

“Please,” Kai begged, feeling his eyes sting. “Kyungsoo this isn’t you. Please come back to me.”

He didn’t want to do this. But his hand was acting on its own. The first drop of blood had the blade calling out for more. Kai could barely fight through the fog in his mind. The only thing that was keeping him from giving in completely was his desperate love for Kyungsoo. He just wanted Kyungsoo to be okay. He just wanted Kyungsoo to be his.

“Kill me! Then I will die a martyr! Statues will be erected in my image. I will be exalted. I will be celebrated. So go ahead, kill me.” Kyungsoo said. He pressed his neck against the blade and Kai watched as more beads rolled down to the center, causing it to glow.

It took nearly every bit of Kai’s strength to release the blade from his grip, but it fell to the earth, flipping end over end. “I-I can’t,” he said, shaking his head and feeling the heat of tears rolling down his cheeks.

He let go of Kyungsoo, hot trails of tears rolling down his face. “I can’t do it,” he repeated. His throat was tight and made it difficult to swallow. He had to breathe through his mouth to fill his lungs with the oxygen they were demanding. He was weaponless. He was vulnerable. Worst of all, Kai now knew that he was going to die at the hands of Kyungsoo. He looked at him, pleading with everything hoping that somehow Kyungsoo could just  _see_ him.

The Divine light shining through Kyungsoo’s eyes flickered and for the briefest of moments, Kai could see the old Kyungsoo. He could see it in the way his expression transformed into horror and heavensfire sword wobbled in his palm, almost tumbling from it.

“J-Jong– Kai?” Kyungsoo said tentatively. He didn’t move from his position in the air. It was as if he was too afraid of what he might do.

“Yes,” Kai said and flew to Kyungsoo, enveloping him in his arms. This was the moment he was hoping for. That moment of clarity where he could reach inside of Kyungsoo and pull the real him out. He placed his hands on either side of Kyungsoo’s face, holding his forehead to his own and sucking in shuddering breaths. “Please, fight it Kyungsoo. Please come back to me, please.”

“I’m trying, Kai. I’m trying so hard. But his hold– he is too strong. You have to kill me. To save yourself and everyone else,” Kyungsoo said and pressed the hilt of the heavensfire word into Kai’s palm. He tilted his head so that their lips brushed against each other. “For me, Kai, please do it for me.”

It burned on contact, but Kai closed his fingers around it, knowing deep in his heart that he was going to have to do this. It was so fucked up, so completely unfair but that was what his life was. Becoming the Demon Lord meant that there was no such thing as fairness. He had to fight tooth and nail to get what he wanted. Kai readjusted his grip on the sword, feeling his skin bubble and crack on the hilt. He used his other hand to hold the back of Kyungsoo’s head and crash their lips together.

Kai knew this was the last time he’d get to kiss him like this. He melted into the kiss, holding the blade to Kyungsoo’s stomach, pressing it harder as he kissed him. He couldn’t bring himself to pierce him, but the next thing he knew he was tasting salt from both their tears. “I love you so much, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo gasped and in their close quarters, Kai could see the flash of light flicker in his eyes. He kissed him again, selfishly prolonging the moment. The wind buffeted them, and the screams of angels and demons dying at the hands of Leviathan made for uncanny background music, but Kai didn’t care. “Please say it. Just one last time,” he begged as the hilt of the sword was burning so bad now that he could feel his skin bubble and split beneath it.

“I love you too, Kai,” Kyungsoo whispered. Kai could hear the struggle and pain in his voice. “I love you so much, but you have to do it now.”

Kai hesitated, vision blurring with tears. He could not do this. He couldn’t hurt the one he had loved with all his heart. He loosened his grip on the hilt, fully prepared to drop it, but small hands covered his and pressed it to Kyungsoo’s mid-section again.

“Please, for me,” Kyungsoo hiccuped and this time he kissed Kai. Full lips trembling as they moved against Kai’s. “I can’t fight him much longer…”

Kai wasn’t sure who pushed the blade into Kyungsoo’s stomach, but the next thing he knew they were falling to the ground fast. He pulled the blade out, dropping it as it clung to his burned hand with sticky strings of black blood. One glance over his shoulder told him they were going to land hard no matter how hard Kai fought to right them, so he rolled them so he would take the brunt of the force.

The impact drove all the breath from Kai’s lungs as they landed on the ground. He didn’t have the energy or the forethought to phase through the ground. On top of him, Kyungsoo gurgled and coughed up golden blood onto Kai’s chest. The wound was gushing blood, but it started to lessen as time went on. He looked down at himself and then at Kai and his eyes grew round. “You’re bleeding.”

The world tilted violently as Kai struggled to look at Kyungsoo. He wasn’t sure if he had hit his head and was dreaming, but Kyungsoo was looking at him like he always had. Big eyes filled with so much love and tinged with a little bit of hurt and pain, but mostly just love. Kai’s heart felt like it was going to explode. He tried to lift his hand to touch Kyungsoo’s face, but it was too hard.

“Kyungsoo, is that you?” Kai asked. He could feel a very sharp pain in his side and when he reached to touch it, dark blood covered his fingertips. He’d landed on the dark blade he had dropped earlier.

Kyungsoo smiled down at Kai. “It’s me...somehow…” He climbed off of Kai and settled down next to him, hands over Kai’s lower back, putting pressure on the wound.

The edges of Kai’s vision were beginning to fuzz, but he grinned up at Kyungsoo as his lids fell closed. “That means we’ve won.” That was Kai’s last thought before he sunk into darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi lovelies! I know it's been a while, but this fic is really coming to an end! Only two more updates left. The next one is the second part of "World on Fire" and the last update is an epilogue. I'm sad that this fic is coming to an end, but also so happy! This fic has had such a long run and I've learned so much about myself writing it. I am forever grateful for the readers that have stuck with me over the years. Here's to the next update loves ^^
> 
> Until next time~


	13. World on Fire (Part Two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WC: 6644

Kyungsoo pulled Kai onto his lap, pressing his side and rocking back and forth. This was all his fault. All of it. Leviathan, the battle, the ambush, the subterfuge. Every last event that happened had been because of a deal he had made.

“Please don’t die. Just hang on, please Kai. Please,” he sobbed quietly, stroking his hair with a bloodied hand. No matter how hard he pressed onto Kai's wound, the dark life force would not stop flooding over his fingers. He pulled his hand away, shaking and pulled his lip between his teeth to fight back the biggest of his sobs.

If only he had known. If only he had been more vigilant. If only he hadn't been so naive. But that was no fault of his own. Heaven had failed him there. A shuddering breath was all he was able to manage as he looked around at the forest. The clamor of the battle raging on all around him. Kai looked bad, really bad. His skin was growing paler by the moment and his breathing was shallow. It wasn't supposed to end like this. If anything he was supposed to die, not Kai.

Kyungsoo carefully moved closer to the foot of a tree and then knelt next to him, tangling dirtied digits into the knots in Kai's hair. He caressed his cheek, his chest jerking from his silent crying. All of this was his fault.

“Kai, my sweet Kai,” Kyungsoo whispered, brushing his sticky hair from his face and leaning down to kiss him one last time. He wasn’t sure if he would ever see him again. His lips trembled on Kai's still ones. The starkness of how weak his breathing was made Kyungsoo want to wail, but he sucked into another shuddering breath and stood.

Training his eyes on the skyline, he could just make out Levithan's large form in the distance. He narrowed his gaze, a fire igniting within. He was going to end this. He gave Kai one last forlorn look, hoping and praying that somehow the young Demon Lord would make it out of this battle alive.

Then, Kyungsoo picked up the blade that had stabbed Kai and sliced it across his palm. It stung, but soon a single bead of golden blood beget a stream that dripped down until it formed a blade. His lifeforce twirled and crawled until it was solid. It had smooth curved edges that were sharp to the touch. It gleamed like no other light on Earth and when Kyungsoo squeezed the ornate hilt, he could feel it drawing more blood and power from within. Slowly, long vines grew from the hilt, connecting to his wrist and forearm and it was then that Kyungsoo knew he was ready. He had released his true sword.

With two shakes of his wings, Kyungsoo ignored the feathers sloughing off and took to the sky, eyes set on Leviathan. He was going to kill him.

 

~*~

Chanyeol flicked the golden blood off his blade and searched the battlefield. How could such beings call themselves angels? They were scum, they were weak, they were impure. To him, the battle was not against Leviathan, he was but a pawn that his true god, Lucifer, was using to reach their goal of total annihilation of all those who refused to bow to him. Filthy peons.

Chanyeol spat, scanning the area for his next cleanse. He would strip this field of all the imperfect. He would be the one to reign supreme at Lucifer's side. He was the best warrior Heaven had, so it only made sense that Lucifer would acknowledge that.

Above him, the gnarled and giant forms of the Forsaken flew overhead. Chanyeol watched a group of them swoop down on Leviathan and slough off some of the beast's flesh. They would pose a proper fight if Chanyeol could get them away from the monstrosity fast enough.

With his sights set on them, he wiped his Heavensfire sword on the back of a slain angel and leaped into the air, soaring high and fast. Killing the Forsaken and culling Heaven of all its imperfections would surely absolve him of his own sins of the flesh. Sins that he had transgressed at the hand of a demon.

The thought made Chanyeol stop in his tracks. Where was that demon? They were supposed to meet on the field and fight to their death -- the demon's death of course. It would be easy and Chanyeol sneered to himself. He could treat it as a warm-up to the Forsaken.

In the corner of his eye, he saw a flash of blackness dart towards him and when he turned head-on, he grinned ruefully. There was his precious demon friend. It was time he showed him where he truly resided. At his feet and in pieces. This demon was going to pay for what he made Chanyeol do.

There was only one problem. Between him and the demon, lay several angels and other demons fighting off Leviathan's minions -- smaller demons that had chosen his side rather than the Demon Lord's. One flew towards Chanyeol, bald walnut shaped head covered in a sparse fur and spindly wings sprouting from its back. It carried no weapon nor did it look too formidable. With one swing of Chanyeol's sword, he cleaved it in two and then the rest set their eyes on him.

Technically, they were on the same side, but they were in his way. Chanyeol couldn't allow for the demon shrouded in blackness to get away. He was his. His to kill.

As Chanyeol neared him, he raised his sword over his head, ready to behead this demon. When it turned around, black obsidian crown resting on his head and a greedy smile on his face as he carved off the wings of an angel, he froze as soon as their eyes met, causing the angle to plummet to the ground screaming. Chanyeol hesitated, feeling a faint ghost in the back of his mind telling him to stop, but he shook it away. This was going to be his salvation.

 

~*~

Every single slain being, demon or angel alike, only made Baekhyun want more. He needed it all. He needed to show everyone that he had what it took to rule Hell and eventually the world. He twirled as he raked his jagged black blade across an angel's abdomen, releasing his guts and sending the angel soaring to the ground. Simultaneously he clawed a demon’s eyes out with his other hand. This was just too easy. No one was a match for him.

Baekhyun had been in the middle of gutting another angel when he saw the brightly glowing one in the distance. And suddenly, that was all he wanted. He wanted to snuff the life out of that angel and make it his own.

A different angel swung at him -- taking advantage of his distraction -- and caught Baekhyun in the shoulder. He roared, spittle flying from his mouth as a blind rage filled him. No one bested him. He stabbed the angel in the leg and grabbed onto his wings and started slashing at them at the joint while the angel screamed. Golden blood made the grip of his sword slick and for a moment, Baekhyun jabbed the blade into the angel's back and wiped off his hand before he continued to slice off his wings while it struggled to escape him.

Together they plummeted to the earth, the angel’s wings too bloodied and injured to support him anymore. Baekhyun could have let him fall right then, but he hadn't pulled off the other wing yet. So he clung to the angel, hacking at the other wing as the angel fell unconscious from his injuries.

"You filthy fiend!" Roared someone from above.

When Baekhyun glanced up, he saw that it was the glowing angel. What perfect timing. Baekhyun drove his blade into the angel’s neck, golden blood spilling forth over his knuckles and dipped his head to taste it. It was the sweetest ambrosia that gave Baekhyun’s shudders.

He brought the wound to his mouth and sucked in large mouthfuls of the blood, feeling it course through him and heal his injuries. Angel’s blood had always been his favorite thing, back before he had locked his true self away. It led to him wanting more and more until all he could think about was slaying enough angels to have a river of their golden blood. Perhaps that was something he could instate when he ruled Hell.

"Release that corpse and face your downfall!" The glowing angel proclaimed.

Baekhyun smiled and dropped the angel from his grip. If it was a battle the glowing one wanted, a battle he was going to get. He flew up towards him, fully intent on killing the angel for himself, but a huge wave of power threw him off balance and he tumbled through the air before he righted himself.

His gaze snapped to the location it came from and after seeing the image of a bright blinding light, Baekhyun knew what had happened. He watched the supernova fall towards the water with a strange sense of disembodiment. Part of him knew it was his father who was now plummeting to his death, and part of him, a very small and deep primal part of him cared, but it didn't last long.

In fact, he could now only think of how he could best take over his father’s position in the human realm and expand the Hellish empire even more. Because more was better and even more than that would be best.

As soon as Lucifer disappeared beneath the surface, Baekhyun glanced back up to see Luhan – no -- Wrath fly off in another direction and smiled. It was a good day to be a demon. He surveyed the area, noting that the angels were falling like flies to their demonic counterparts and grinned. Maybe if he played his cards right he could rule Heaven as well. Imagine that, a demon ruling Heaven, Hell, and the human realm. It was unheard of, but something Baekhyun very much wanted.

It was only when he heard a loud shout coming his way, that Baekhyun returned his attention to the glowing angel from before. He dodged a swing of his mighty sword with ease and chuckled. Did this lanky angel honestly think it would best him? Greed? He may not be half the warrior Wrath was, but Greed certainly held his own.

With a twirl of his dark blade, Greed left two long slashes on the angel’s chest plate. Glittering golden blood poured from the wounds, but the angel did not even seem phased. He simply roared again, swinging his sword and caught Greed in the same injured shoulder, sinking the flaming blade deep into his flesh and yanking it out. He lost feeling in it shortly thereafter.

“Your death will be my salvation,” the angel cried out, swinging his holy blade once more. His voice sounded vaguely familiar, but that side of Greed was so far gone that it felt like another lifetime.

Greed ducked, tucking his wings in tight and sinking to the ground as he nursed his injury. He needed to pay better attention. The glowing one was stronger than he had anticipated and his fantasies about power and corruption were going to get the best of him if he wasn't careful. Using his momentum, he tossed his jagged sword to his uninjured hand and with a few hefty beats of his leathery wings, Greed sped towards the angel, intent on cutting him from groin to throat.

Then a better idea erupted into his mind. This angel would be his to enslave. He could already imagine making the angel rest on all fours while he kicked his feet up on his back. The image made him laugh, a harsh sound that only made the angel lash out at him again. If only the angel knew what his fate would be at Greed's hands.

With a lazy swipe, his blade cut a long gash in the angel’s thigh, spilling more glistening golden blood to rain below. The angel lost altitude and Greed knew that the angel was a lot more hurt than he had let on initially. A snarl from him was all he got before he swung his jagged blade and clipped the tip of his wing. Feathers and golden blood poured out profusely and the two of them sank to the ground.

Greed stood before the angel, blade dripping and glistening as he brought it to his lips and tasted it. The second a drop met his tongue however, Greed blinked. Everything came rushing back to him at once and without intending to, he felt the blocks forming in his mind and his power being locked away.

It was only when his vision cleared that Baekhyun realized that he was standing in front of a very injured Chanyeol and he dropped his blade to the ground, chest tightening to the point where he could no longer breathe at all.

“Ch-Chanyeol what are you doing?”

The angel hobbled on one leg towards him, his sword flickering as he waved it weakly, and grimaced. “You said we'd meet on the battlefield.” He swung at Baekhyun, but Baekhyun dodged it easily, feeling horror curdle his insides.

“It’s Baekhyun,” Baekhyun said, arching back out of the way of another weak swing of the Heavensfire sword. “Remember me?”

“Cut the innocent act, you are a demon, you mean nothing to me,” Chanyeol responded.

It stung. His words hurt Baekhyun in a way that no weapon ever could. He staggered back, clutching his chest and gasping. He'd just realized that he'd been in love with Chanyeol and now the angel was trying to kill him.

"You don't mean that!" Baekhyun said, scurrying backward towards his sword. He didn't want to hurt Chanyeol. It was the last thing he wanted to do. He was the only angel that he'd been with and if what Kai said was true, they belonged to each other.

"I'm--" Chanyeol stopped, face contorting for a second. He fell to his knees, hands at clawing at his temples. "Get out! Get out, get out, get out!" He screamed. He fell forward into the mud, digging his head into the ground and screamed over and over and over until he went limp.

Baekhyun dove to him, knees slamming into the slush of dirt and water. He reached to touch Chanyeol, but then the angel's body stiffened. Before Baekhyun could react, the angel swung his blade upward, catching him across the chest and making his skin burn. Baekhyun leaped back, scrambling for his sword with his good arm.

Slowly, Chanyeol stood, wings drooping behind him, tips dragging in the dirt below. There was a mixture of demon and angelic blood coagulating on his feathers. Clumps of them sloughed off with each step he took towards Baekhyun.

“Chanyeol please!” Baekhyun yelled.

The wind whipped around him and the temperature plummetted. His breath created clouds in front of his mouth as he panted. He glanced toward Leviathan, watching as the waters grew choppy from the wind. Overhead thunder rolled and a loud clap sounded, making Baekhyun's eardrums ring.

Then, the sky opened up and rain torrented down, plastering his hair to his scalp immediately. He could still see Chanyeol approaching him, weakened and shivering. His lips were turning blue, but he still refused to stand down.

"Please stop, I don't want to hurt you!" Baekhyun cried out. He had his blade in his hand, blocking a flurry of light strikes from Chanyeol. The angel was clearly exhausted.

"Can't. Stop." Chanyeol panted between blows. "Must expunge all those who oppose Lucifer."

Baekhyun froze. He'd seen Lucifer fall, so why was Chanyeol still being controlled by him? "I know you're in there," Baekhyun shouted as a roll of thunder rumbled.

The sound of metal hitting metal clanged loudly and Baekhyun skidded in the slick mud. Chanyeol was still pretty strong even though he was injured. He needed to snap him out of it somehow.

The two of them battled on, Baekhyun blocking his blows and hitting Chanyeol with nonlethal strikes from the hilt of his sword. But, the angel would not give up. He stumbled forward, swiping at Baekhyun again, this time falling to the ground and then crawling back to his feet weakly. His face was covered in mud, his chest streaked with golden angel blood and his armor ruined.

A flash of lighting made them both stop, the icy rain making Baekhyun tremble. He stepped backward, his heel catching on the body of a fallen ally and he landed hard on his back, the wind knocked out of him instantly.

Chanyeol stood over him, Heavensfire sword barely lit now. A dull blue flame licked the edges as he grabbed the hilt with both hands, blade pointed down.

"Killing you will absolve me," Chanyeol said and Baekhyun couldn't tell if he was crying or if it was just the rain leaving streaks down his cheeks.

Baekhyun only had a split second to react, as his blade was just a few inches from his fingers, but as Chanyeol brought his down, Baekhyun screamed, grabbing the hilt and driving his sword upward until it met flesh.

Chanyeol fell on top of him, his body pushing further down onto Baekhyun's sword. Baekhyun hefted him onto his back and sat there next to him staring at his jagged blade protruding from Chanyeol's chest. "NO!" Baekhyun screeched once he comprehended the scene. He tried to pull his blade from Chanyeol's torso, but it was too late. Golden lifeforce pooled around Chanyeol's wound.

Baekhyun grabbed his hand, bringing it to his mouth and kissed it as the angel's eyelids fluttered.  A flash of lightning went off again as Chanyeol's mouth was moving like he was trying to say something. So Baekhyun leaned down, hoping to hear him. But, the only sound that filled Baekhyun's ears was the sound of thunder.

Baekhyun's hands trembled. He had never felt so powerless. Powerless and alone and  _ cold _ .

 

~*~

As Kyungsoo flew toward Leviathan, he only grew angrier. Up close, Leviathan was a writhing mass of black ilk. His form was ever shifting and globs of dark purple blood gushed from where the Forsaken has cut him. But even they had not been enough to take him on.

Yet, all was not lost. Because just as Kyungsoo spotted him, Suho raged on Leviathan with a force only Seraphim could bring. The temperature dropped, and the skies opened above assaulting him with rain.

He arrived just as Suho saw him and the angel flew over to quickly debrief.

“Where’s Kai?” Suho asked the moment Kyungsoo was in earshot. He glanced around eyes wide and searching. He looked a little odd, not quite as aloof and collected as he had been recently, but strong nevertheless.

Kyungsoo pointed to the forest behind him, his chest tightening. “He doesn't look good…”

Suho wet his lips and frowned. "Fuck," he hissed. He gestured at other Seraphim that flew overhead and they dive bombed Leviathan with their golden true swords.

Kyungsoo balked at the sudden use of foul language from the Seraphim but didn't comment on it. "How's it going here?"

Suho nodded towards a black form of flurrying wings. Bony protrusions slashed at Leviathan as he spun and dove along his side. Black blood poured out of the wounds and when the form banked upward, a rueful grin was on his face.

"I think we stand a chance," Suho said and then surreptitiously touched his side.

Kyungsoo followed his hand and gasped. "You're hurt!"

Suho nodded, and it was as if Kyungsoo could finally see just how tired and stretched thin he was. He looked sallow and thin, but he kept up the gale force winds and low temperatures. His eyes held an anger that ran so deep it almost scared Kyungsoo. He'd never seen this side of Suho.

The dark form approached them and in a strange display of intimacy, the demon touched Suho on his injury and whispered something in his ear. He had to be Jongdae. Kyungsoo looked away, giving them some privacy and swallowing down his jealousy. In a way, this was Suho's fault as well, but he was able to have his Demon Lord, while Kyungsoo's lay dying back in the forest.

"Where's Kai?" Jongdae asked.

Kyungsoo couldn't answer him, not when he saw the way that Suho was looking at Jongdae from behind. Not when he could feel the hurt and pain that they had both caused the realms. Not when he knew what had to be done. He ignored the question and set his sights on Leviathan. Perhaps slashing at him would pull some of the anguish from inside him.

 

~*~

 

Blasts shook the earth, vibrating Jongin’s body. He was too weak to open his eyes, but he could hear. He could hear the sounds of humans fighting back. Humans, angels, and demons alike were all fighting. The only time the three worked together was when the world was at stake.

He could feel that his hand was over a deep wound in his side, but he could not so much as move his fingers. He barely had the energy to breathe, but he could still listen. He heard the clanging of metal, shouts, and cries. Rain and thunder added to the orchestra of war as explosions went off, making his ears ring for minutes at a time. It was chaos, pure utter chaos and Kai couldn’t see any of it.

Maybe if he had the strength to fight, the strength to get out there and help. But Kai was so weak and Kyungsoo had been so strong. He tried moving his fingers again, this time getting one of them to twitch and kept trying.

He was drenched and cold by the time one finger had turned into his entire hand trembling. He was shivering and surrounded by water by the time that one hand had turned onto an arm which eventually led to him sitting up. It took all his strength not to fall back down and give up.

Kai's vision faded in and out, spinning and blurry, but panting, Kai got to his feet and shook out his wings. The water ran right off the leathery appendages. He stretched them, extending the bony protrusions and giving them a few test flaps. He had a few broken ribs, but thankfully, his wings were uninjured. Unfortunately, flying was going to take a lot out of him.

“Kai!” Baekhyun’s voice came as a surprise -- a welcomed one.

He hesitated, not that he could take to the sky just yet, but when Baekhyun finally approached him, he stumbled forward against him, his world spinning once more. His side ached, and his lungs burned with every breath.

“What happened?” Baekhyun asked.

"Kyungsoo," Kai grunted.

A snort -- whether it was rueful or not Kai didn't know -- was the only response he got from Baekhyun on that. He supposed it was fair though. Kyungsoo had brought this on them. He'd awakened the cycle that had been started so long ago. It was destined that this happen.

Yet, as Baekhyun pushed Kai back, just enough for Kai to get a good look at him, he realized that the demon was injured pretty badly as well. His left arm was limp at his side, badly cut at the shoulder, but he wasn't bleeding. His wings looked fine, if not scratched a sporting a few knicks and cuts here and there. His face was bruised, a black eye and a split lip the worst of it.

"What happened to you?" Kai asked, wobbling. He was dully aware of the temperature drop that had happened, but now it was getting even colder.

Baekhyun avoided answering him and instead put a jar in Kai's hand and told him to squeeze it. Together, they opened the jar and Baekhyun began slathering on the substance inside.

“It’s for angels, so it didn't do much but stop the bleeding for me, but I think it’ll work on you,” Baekhyun explained. His hand trembled and he looked as though he was on the brink of tears, but he said nothing as he applied the salve.

It stung, but gradually, Kai could tell he was no longer bleeding. He stepped back, still wobbly on his feet, but feeling strength seep into his muscles with each second. Whatever it was, it was working fast.

“Where did you get that?” Kai asked. He palpitated his side, his fingertips coming back oily but not bloody.

Baekhyun’s face hardened. “I found it on an angel’s body.” He left it at that and the jar fell from his fingertips.

They both stared at each other, an understanding that had taken all this strife and pain for them to reach. In another life, none of this would have happened. In a past life, they would have never imagined that they would be standing here, watching as angels and demons fought the last of Leviathan's minions. It was a strange sight, seeing the two fight side by side on the same side.

After a while, Kai gave Baekhyun a long gaze. Neither said anything, but neither needed to. They understood each other on a level like never before. With a nod, Kai jumped into the air glanced back just to make sure Baekhyun was behind him.

The end was nigh.

 

~*~

Was this the end? Kyungsoo thought as he spun to avoid a long appendage from Leviathan. He was exhausted, beaten and broken, but he wasn’t going to give up. He had to right his wrong. He had to be the one to deal the killing blow.

_ It’ll never be the end. I’ll just come back stronger than ever before. You angels are too easy to sway. _

“Shut up!” Kyungsoo screamed. Leviathan had to be weak now that he was targeting Kyungsoo. The beast had been silent during the first few blows Kyungsoo dealt, but now that he knew who was fighting him, the mind games began.

He was being whittled down, however. The cold temperature, the rain, the onslaught from the Forsaken and the Seraphim were taking its toll on the beast. His minions had fallen to the rest of the angels and demons and now they two were heading this way. Perhaps they could do this. Perhaps they could take him on.

Black blood poured onto Kyungsoo, coating him and making his wings heavy. It was getting harder to fly now. Not just for him, but all the angels as well. Their feathered wings weren’t made for this much weight and Leviathan's blood was heavy.

Glancing to his right, he saw Suho twirling in the air, diving down with his sword in both hands, face contorted in a shout. Just behind him was Jongdae, spinning and slicing Levithan with the spikes on his wings. Each spin caused more black ichor to pour out, drenching the angels below. A few of them fell to the water, wings unable to maintain their weight.

Kyungsoo started to dive to help them, but then he felt a familiar presence behind him. It pulled at him, telling him to turn around. And try as he might, he could not ignore it. Turning around he saw Kai, leathery wings beating furiously and his expression unreadable. He looked as though he had aged in the short time he’d seen him; as if eons had passed. Maybe he did die and this was the same type of miracle that brought Jongdae back. Maybe death aged beings like this.

“Kai!” He shouted, drawing the attention of the Demon Lord and watching as his expression softened entirely. It was ironic that their homecoming be like this, but Kyungsoo wanted nothing more than to forget the battle and fly right into Kai's arms. He wanted to make sure he was real, that this wasn't more mind games that Leviathan had been playing on him. But it was short lived.

“Dive!” Kai screamed as he strained to fly faster, a jagged sword raising in his arms.

Behind was Baekhyun, holding a black jagged blade as well. But he looked like he wasn't faring as well as Kai was. His left arm was limp and tucked into his armor. His wings didn't beat as hard as Kai's but he still had a look of pure hatred toward Leviathan. With Leviathan as their mutual enemy, it made them allies for once.

Kyungsoo moved too slowly and the air rushed from his lungs as an arm slammed into him from behind. He fell to the water, desperately trying to suck in a breath the entire way. When he was just inches from the rough surface of the water, the sweet relief of oxygen entering, allowed him to change trajectory and fly back up.

He was able to just see Kai drive his sword into Leviathan before the Demon Lord descended to him. They both froze in front of each other, taking this inopportune moment in the battle to reach out and join hands and stare into each other's eyes. It was all they had time for, but it was all Kyungsoo needed to reinstate his will to fight.

With Jongin and Baekhyun in the fray, the lot of them could finally see that Leviathan was growing weaker. Kyungsoo wasn’t sure when, but before he knew it, he was slicing into Leviathan and the beast was no longer fighting back. His form began to sink into the ocean, dissipating and spreading out like an oil spill. With his physical form taken care of, all that was left was to capture the spirit. But that was something for the Seraphim to do, his rank wasn't high enough for that.

He sought out Kai and clung to him, crashing his lips onto soft plush ones like his life depended on it. “I love you,” he whispered to Kai, ignoring the fact that they were both covered in Leviathan’s blood.

Kai wound his arms around Kyungsoo, beating his wings in time with him and kissed him back. They soared higher into the air, kissing and pressing their bodies together. It was over. They had killed Leviathan.

But, as Kyungsoo pulled back, he saw something in Kai’s face that gave him pause. The Demon Lord was looking at him, or rather through him. And for the first time, Kyungsoo felt the weight of everything that had happened. He kissed Kai again, forcing his mind to ignore it, but he couldn’t quite shake the feeling that nothing would ever be the same again.

  
  
  


**Epilogue**

* * *

 

 

The council of Good and Evil was held in Hell this time around. Kai was the last to arrive and found the room already occupied by Jongdae, Baekhyun, Kyungsoo, and Suho. They sat at the slab of limestone in the center of the room, idly talking to each other.

It'd been a little while since and so far, a lot had changed. Leviathan was sealed once more, and in order to prevent the next cycle from starting, there was no longer a position of Demon Lord. Instead, Hell was run by a three-person council. Jongdae, the previous Demon Lord, Baekhyun, an original demon, and Kai, a fallen angel.

The three of them now kept Hell under control and the balance of the world in the right state. They had a monthly quota of evil they had to let happen, while the angels had a monthly quota of good. The balance was maintained via punishments and miracles for the humans. It was the only way to keep things going smoothly, especially since Jongdae had mentioned he had something he needed to tell everyone.

Speaking of which, Heaven and Hell worked together now. After the battle, both of their numbers were too low and the possible fallout of them continuing to battle was too much for either side to want to agree on. Therefore the Council of Good and Evil was created. Generally, they had even numbers from both sides appear at these meetings, but Yixing and Minseok had decided to remain in Heaven for this Hellish meeting. The two refused to come down here for good reason, neither had been impure, and Hell had a way of corrupting even those with the most propriety. So, only Suho was the representative for Good.

Sitting down between Kyungsoo and Baekhyun, who had finally gotten used to losing his arm and now wore his sleeves torn off instead of tucked into his belt, Kai gave everyone a nod. Since being stripped of his title, he felt out of place here in Hell. He didn’t quite fit in with the other fallen angels and the majority of demons still feared him after his explosion prior to the battle. The only beings he could really turn to were Baekhyun, Jongdae, and Kyungsoo. They were the only ones who truly understood what it meant. They were all intertwined, all their fates connected and even though Baekhyun’s counterpart had been killed, he had still taken part in forbidden love.

"We may now commence," Jongdae started. "First order of business is Kyungsoo's report on the abnormalities."

Kyungsoo stood, one wing entirely leathery and the other covered in pure white feathers. It had happened once everyone had calmed down. The feathers on his right wing had continued falling off until the wing was bare. It grew the same protrusions that all fallen angels and demons had, but the skin had remained a pearly white. He bridged the two worlds, spending half his time in Heaven and the other half in Hell. When he wasn't in either, he was hunting down the abnormalities – strange sightings by humans, angels, and demons alike. A lot really had changed since the battle.

Ever since Lucifer and Leviathan were defeated, odd occurrences had been taking place in all the realms. It started with weird pits opening up in Heaven. Direct tunnels to different parts of Hell and below. When a young angel had explored one of them and came back with reports of something off about the holes, Kyungsoo had taken it upon himself to investigate.

Kai reached out and gave his side a touch, earning him a heart-shaped smile from Kyungsoo before he started. They were finally together, but they hardly had seen each other these past few months. Not only that, but something about their relationship had changed. He chalked it up to them being busy between cleaning up the mess they made and making sure absolute chaos didn’t usurp the humans. So much so that they had hardly spent time together.

"I have reports of abominations on the human realm. Several countries have people reporting extreme cases of misfortune and evil that isn't a part of the quotas. I've seen a few more of the holes open up in Heaven and the other day, I ran into a field of grass in one of Hell's hot springs," Kyungsoo said.

The table went silent and Kai furrowed his brows. Kyungsoo hadn't mentioned the patch of grass to him. But, they hadn't had much time to talk privately for the past two days anyhow. He watched Kyungsoo sit back down and laced his fingers through Kyungsoo’s on his lap.

Jongdae and Suho looked at each other, worry lining their faces. Under his breath, Jongdae whispered something and Suho nodded. They did this a lot. While their bond had grown stronger because of the battle, Kai was unsure of where he stood with Kyungsoo at this point.

This time, the Seraphim stood. "Yixing and Minseok have continued to report that we are unable to promote angels to Seraphim. We remain the final three."

Then, he too, sat back down as the room fell back into silence. No one was happy with this news. The silence stretched on until it grew uncomfortable and Kai squeezed Kyungsoo’s hand for reassurance. He received a squeeze in return and smiled to himself. It was weird not knowing what he should do. He felt so stripped of everything now. No motivation to lead, no motivation to do anything.

It was Baekhyun's turn next. Only he didn't stand, "Luhan remains MIA. I've searched the very depths of Hell and nothing. I've tried scrying him, but again, nothing there as well."

"But you would sense if he was gone, correct?" Suho asked. 

Kai echoed his words in his mind. This was even worse news. If Luhan couldn't be found, then that meant he had gone completely rogue.

"I can sense him out there," Jongdae said as he stood slowly. "It's why I've called this meeting. You see," he paused and looked everyone in the eye. "God is dead."

Not even the sound of breathing could be heard in the room. Kai's head pounded from blood rushing and he squeezed Kyungsoo's hand to keep himself grounded. That was impossible.

"What?" Kai said. "W-what do you mean:  _ dead _ ?"

No one else in the room seemed particularly surprised, not even Kyungsoo. But, again, he hadn't been the same since the battle. He was hardened now, scarred by his transgressions. But in a way, everyone was. Some literally, like Baekhyun, and others more under the surface, like Kyungsoo, Suho, and himself. Jongdae was the only one who wasn't as fazed. But, Jongin didn't put much thought into that.

"When you killed me, Kai. I went to the Etherworld. The world where you neither exist nor not exist. And while I was there, I couldn't sense him. See, even as a demon, I could sense God. But I haven't felt his presence for a long time."

"It's been quiet in the Seraphim quarters as well. No matter how much we pray, the holy water river will not replenish itself," Suho added.

Kai looked around the table. It felt a bit like he was dreaming, that somehow none of this was real. He looked at Kyungsoo, who was staring at the table in front of him. He gave his hand a squeeze and Kyungsoo turned to him, a deep sadness in his eyes for a moment before it flashed away.

"Something isn't right," Jongdae said. "And I don't think we can do anything about it. We may have stopped Leviathan, but I don't think we are going to be able to stop the end of everything as we know it."

The room fell quiet again. No one moved, no one looked at each other. Everyone was absorbed into their heads digesting what Jongdae had revealed. No matter how many times Kai turned it over in his mind, he could not make sense of it. How had all of this happened?

This time, Kyungsoo squeezed his hand first and when Kai looked at him, he noticed that the others were already leaving. He saw Jongdae and Suho take off to wherever it was they went after these meetings and then he saw Baekhyun slink off alone. 

"What will we do?" Kai asked, finally voicing the thoughts in his mind.

"We make the best of what we have left," Kyungsoo answered, giving Kai a sidelong glance and a sad smile. "Come here," he started and pulled Kai closer to him. He looked up at him with big eyes full of so many experiences. He was no longer a naive angel, not by a longshot. "I've missed you."

Those words sent a shiver down Kai's spine and as always, he couldn't say no to his angel -- his Kyungsoo. He crashed his lips into Kyungsoo's breathing in his scent and sighed. "I missed you, too." Maybe they’d be okay.

Happy-endings weren't guaranteed, especially not for forbidden lovers. But they were going to take this moment of respite and stretch it for as long as they could.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so this fic is finally over. I will admit that I'm not totally happy with the ending as I feel like I am not good at writing battle scenes, but boy am I glad to be done with this fic! It was started way back in 2012 and went through a huge overhaul after learning about important concepts such as consent and coercion. 
> 
> It started as a simple smut fic for a friend but turned into a shaky plot that I didn't know where it was going. Some of the plot points were really weak (e.g. a lot of the Chanbaek was very weak because I couldn't bring myself to explore what it would be like to be fully righteous without feeling jaded so their love story is a huge mess that I hope to fix one day if I ever rewrite this). Largely, this fic was an exploration of my own feelings towards religion. I started it because my foundations in my faith were shaken and I used this fic to explore it. Granted, it took me years to finish this fic due to the guilt I constantly felt while writing it. So a lot of the writing style is all over the place since I began this fic as a young 17 year old and now it's done at nearly 24 of age. For that, I do apologize. One day I would like to go over it and fix those parts of the prose, but overall I'm happy with the finished product! 
> 
> The ending is purposefully left open because I may do drabbles and I may do a sequel. Probably one darker than this, one that explores more world building and more angst because I live on angst and world building. But....yeah. Still, I enjoyed this journey and I hope you all did as well ^^ I know I haven't been posting this on this website since 2012, but for those of you who followed me from AFF, you know the journey I'm talking about <3 I appreciate and love all of you that have stuck with me to the very end, you are all the very best <3
> 
> Ah, I hope this author's note doesn't come off as annoying because I'm rambling, but if you liked the fic, drop me a kudos and a comment ^^
> 
> Until next time~


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